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The U.S. Men’s National Team expect a stiffer test Monday when they take on El Salvador in the deciding 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League group stage match in Orlando, Fla. The Americans dominated Grenada on Friday, winning 7-1 to move into first place in the group. The USMNT (2-1-0) also are the defending champions after beating Mexico 3-2 in extra time to win the inaugural event in June 2021. Yet the Salvadorans (1-2-0) will move on to the semifinals with a victory. They held the Americans to a 1-1 draw in their Nations League matchup last summer. They opened the tournament with a 2-2 draw with Grenada and took a 3-1 victory in the rematch, a week before the draw with the USMNT. That was their last competitive match.
Kickoff at Exploria Stadium in Orlando is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the USMNT as -700 favorites (risk $700 to win $100) in its latest USMNT vs. El Salvador odds. El Salvador are +2000 underdogs, a draw is priced at +575 and the over/under for total match goals is 3.5. Before making any El Salvador vs. USMNT picks or Concacaf Nations League predictions, make sure you check out what SportsLine soccer insider Brandt Sutton has to say.
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Sutton is on a stunning 12-2 run on his 2022-23 Champions League picks so far, bringing a profit of $1,100 for $100 bettors. He also finished 2022 as SportsLine’s top soccer expert with a 165-130-2 mark, returning nearly $2,200 for $100 players.
Now, Sutton has turned his attention to the USA vs. El Salvador matchup. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for USMNT vs. El Salvador:
- USA vs. El Salvador spread: USMNT -2.5 (+130)
- USA vs. El Salvador over/under: 3.5 goals
- USA vs. El Salvador money line: USMNT -700, El Salvador +2000, Draw +575
- USA: The Americans have scored more than one goal seven times in their past 19 matches.
- El Salvador: They have been outscored 14-11 in their past 10 competitive games.
- USA vs. El Salvador picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the USMNT
The Americans have never lost to El Salvador, going 20-6-0 including friendlies, with a 61-12 goal advantage. They have posted 16 clean sheets in the 26 matches. The USMNT should be prepared, as they have been playing high-stakes games since the last meeting, including a Round of 16 showing at the World Cup. They come in with tremendous confidence after the thrashing of Grenada, when they got two goals apiece from Ricardo Pepi and Weston McKennie.
Christian Pulisic was the best player on the field, scoring a goal and assisting on two others. The USMNT dominated in the middle, with Gio Reyna, McKennie and Pepi repeatedly creating chances. El Salvador have lost three friendlies since the draw last summer, scoring one goal while conceding six. Brendan Aaronson and Alejandro Zendejas also scored for Team USA, and McKennie’s goals came on free kicks, a good sign for a team that has struggled on set pieces.
Why you should back El Salvador
The Salvadorans have managed two draws in the past three meetings, with the USMNT scoring just twice over that span. The Americans needed a goal late in injury time to forge the draw last June after Alexander Larin scored in the first half. Larin is one of several players out injured, as is Nelson Bonilla, who scored twice in a 3-1 victory against Grenada last summer. El Salvador could rely on Cristian Gil and brothers Brayan Gil and Mayer Gil, who are all capable attackers.
Cristian Gil, 26, has 13 goals in his 55 games in the Salvadoran Primera Division and has two in 11 with the national team. He scored in the 2-2 draw with Grenada in the Nations League opener. Brayan Gil, 21, has 10 goals in his past 45 matches in Colombia’s Primera A, and Mayer Gil, 19, has two in three matches in that league this season. Alex Roldan, who plays with the Seattle Sounders, can cause trouble with his crosses and had two assists in his most recent MLS match.
How to make USMNT vs. El Salvador picks
Sutton has analyzed Monday’s El Salvador vs. USMNT match from all sides, and he has revealed his confident best bet and offers a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing those picks here.
So who wins the USA vs. El Salvador matchup Monday in the Concacaf Nations League? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for El Salvador vs. USMNT, all from the soccer expert who returned nearly $2,200 on his soccer picks in 2022, and find out.
