Guatemala face Cuba at the DRV PNK Stadium on Tuesday (June 27) in the opening round of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Los Chapines enjoyed a solid run of results in the recently concluded CONCACAF Nations League and will hope to replicate that in the Gold Cup. They have played a series of friendlies this month in preparation for the continental showpiece, with their most recent outing being a 1-0 defeat to Venezuela.
Guatemala have lost every opening game in their last 11 appearances in the Gold Cup and will be desperate to end that streak this week.
Cuba, meanwhile, also breezed through the group stage of the Nations League, finishing atop their group with 15 points from an obtainable 18. They, however, are coming off a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in a friendly.
Guatemala have lost three of their last four games after going unbeaten in four games. They have struggled away recently, though.
Cuba, meanwhile, are on a run of back-to-back defeats after going unbeaten in seven games. The sheer gulf in class and quality between the two nations should see the Guatemalans win this one.
Prediction: Guatemala 1-0 Cuba
Tip 1 - Result: Guatemala
Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Under 2.5 goals (Five of their last six meetings have produced fewer than 2.5 goals.)
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: No (Both teams have scored in just two of their last ten matchups.)