Olympic Men’s Soccer, New Zealand vs United States: Best Bets

Did you think the European Championships and Copa America were the end of international football for the summer? Think again. We still have to talk about men’s and women’s Olympic football, with the 2024 Paris Olympics set to kick off. Today, we look at the second leg of the group stage for two teams, one of which needs a win more than the other, as the United States takes on New Zealand.

Now, first of all, it is crucial to understand the teams that represent their country. For the men, the Olympics is strictly a U-23 tournament, with each team having a few veterans on their roster. So understand that Lionel Messi and Christian Pulisic are not in this tournament. The Olympics are not the pinnacle of the sport, and athletes and organizations care more about the World Cup, Copa America, and the EUROs. However, these young guys are still excited to represent their country and show their skills on an international stage.

As mentioned, this is the 2nd game of the group stage and the United States needs a win. After losing 3-0 to France in their first game, the United States could be eliminated early with a loss today. New Zealand beat Guinea 2-1 to secure 3 points for themselves. A win today for New Zealand would secure their spot in the knockout rounds, while also sending the United States packing for a meaningless 3rd game against Guinea.

Will the USA be able to bounce back and take 3 points in this match? Or can New Zealand put them out of their misery early and secure a match to win the Group with France?

Gianluca Busio plays for Serie A club Venezia for club football

Matchup Information

• Location: Orange Vélodrome (Marseille, France)
• Date: Saturday, July 27, 2024
• Start: 1:00 PM Eastern Time
• Where to watch: USA Network, Peacock

Betting Odds

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Moneyline

• New Zealand +600
• Sign +360
• United States -222

Scatter

• New Zealand +1 (+110)
• United States -1 (-145)

Total

• More than 2.5 (-150)
• Under 2.5 (+115)

Miles Robinson scored the winning goal in the 2021 Gold Cup championship

The United States had their toughest match to start their Olympic campaign, so it will only get easier from here. However, they desperately need a win. Even a draw will probably make it difficult for them to progress, so getting three points from this match is extremely important. Personally, I think they have what it takes to do it, but it won’t be easy.

Must win match for US

In their match against France, the United States kept pace with them in terms of shot attempts and even shots on goal, but the goalkeeping and corner kicks were the difference. France had 8 corner kicks compared to the United States’ 2, and they were able to stop all 3 of our shots on goal. Patrick Schulte only stopped one of the four shots he saw, which is simply not enough. The United States will definitely need to see an increase in offensive production against New Zealand.

Despite beating Guinea 2-1, New Zealand didn’t exactly dominate the game. They jumped to a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, but were outplayed by their opponent. New Zealand produced a total of 9 shots, 5 of which were on target and only 2 corner kicks with 44% of the ball possession. Guinea dominated the other 56% of the ball possession, with a total of 9 corner kicks, 17 shot attempts and 8 of which were on target. Alex Paulson made 7 saves to secure the victory for his team. Although the United States lacked offensive production in their first game, today it will be all hands on deck to create some scoring opportunities.

I see the USA controlling the tempo and possession of this game, as I think they are the more skilled team overall. I think New Zealand played on their heels for most of their first game, and I expect them to spend even more time defending today. While the USA were strong for the first 45 minutes against France, they will definitely spend more time attacking today and will bet accordingly.

Walker Zimmerman has made 42 national appearances for the United States

Best Bets: United States 1H -0.5 (-105) BetOnline