CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals: Jamaica have too much for Haiti

Jamaica have scored twice against CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final opponents and fellow Caribbean country Haiti in five of their last six head-to-heads, so Coral make the Reggae Boyz 6/5 favourites for victory in 90 minutes.

Haiti, 13/5 to cause an upset and 6/1 to claim a draw which would mean extra time and possibly penalties, have their own hotshot in Duckens Nazon, but the Jamaican contingent contains a number of familiar faces to punters that bet on the Premier League and Championship.

It’s difficult to see how the Haitians will contain Reggae Boyz wide threats Garath McCleary and Simon Dawkins. There’s also an experienced midfield of Jobi McAnuff and Rodolph Austin lining up against them, plus a defence that contains Leicester City skipper Wes Morgan and Adrian Mariappa.

Put simply, Jamaica’s names are playing at a vastly higher level to those on the Haiti roster. Nazon’s credentials have been established at the Gold Cup, however, with two group stage goals and it’s 2/1 he scores again anytime, but his country are very reliant upon him.

Up against a Reggae Boyz foursome that all have goals in them across the engine room and flanks, it is hard to see past Jamaica reaching the semis. Reading wideman McCleary may have missed the first three months of the 2014/15 campaign, but is clearly back to his best now.

This tournament has been good experience for the former Nottingham Forest winger, and he’s struck twice already at the Gold Cup. Jamaica’s presence in the knockout phase owes a lot to his efforts, so McCleary’s awesome anytime odds of 11/4 must be considered.

Derby County counterpart Dawkins has scored against this opposition before, so he is shorter in the same market at 2/1. Reggae Boyz box-to-box player Austin comes from deep with powerful bursts, and is a 7/2 chance to net again. He’ll be looking to impress after being released by Leeds United.

Veteran McAnuff, like Austin, has also been on target at this tournament already, so his anytime price matches that of McCleary. This stage is just one too far for Haiti, and a 2-0 Jamaica victory holds nifty 9/1 odds.