Mexico vs. Canada: Last-Minute Predictions for Gold Cup Match

Mexico and Canada's respective fates in the 2013 Gold Cup hinge on their group match on Thursday.

Having picked up losses in their first matches, both sides will be looking to rebound with three points in their second match of the group stage. Losing two games in a row will almost certainly mean failure to advance to the knockout stage, whereas a win will mean being in the driver's seat to finish second and possibly even snatch the spot reserved for the best third-place team.

This is a pivotal match, even at this early stage of the tournament. It has star power and plenty of compelling reasons to watch. You've got two countries very much needing a win.

It should be a very fun match, and here are four things you can count on happening on Thursday.

Mexico Will Pick Up the Victory

Mexico and winning haven't exactly gone together well lately. El Tri have struggled to score goals and lacked any sort of adventure on the pitch. The players are afraid to take any risks, which isn't helped by the fact they have no cohesion.

Jose Manuel de la Torre won't have to worry about that against Canada. Mexico should be able to get on the board first, and in doing so, will be able to get into a nice comfort level. The players won't be feeling the pressure of having to score a late goal to win.

The thing with Mexico is that when they're chasing a game, they're pretty bad. If they're killing off a lead, though, El Tri are much more organized, and it's hard to break them down.

Mexico will be able to score early against Canada, and it will be smooth sailing from there.

Canada Will Continue to Be a Mess

Count the Counter Attack's Richard Whittall as one not surprised by Canada's performance against Martinique.

The issues plaguing Canada right now are systemic. It starts at the youth level and goes up to the national team. The federation has been facing a reckoning point, and it may have had it on Sunday.

Without being too harsh on Martinique, that was a match that Canada should have won. Martinique aren't even a FIFA-recognized country. Instead, the Canadians came out extremely flat and deserved the 1-0 loss.

Canada aren't going to look any better against Mexico. They'll look equally ineffective. With some teams, you might expect a positive response in their next match. With Canada, there isn't enough talent in the squad to expect that to happen.

Jose Manuel de la Torre's Seat Won't Get Any More Comfortable

One of the more fluid situations of the tournament is the status of de la Torre. Coming into the Gold Cup, he was a manager on the brink. Losing 2-1 to Panama didn't help matters at all.

Mexico football expert Tom Marshall reported that fans in the Rose Bowl were throwing projectiles at "Chepo" as he was leaving the pitch at the end of the match.

It's not a very good situation, and it's not going to get any better after the Canada match. The problems that are hurting Mexico right now will be on display on Thursday.

El Tri will win, but it's not going to be pretty. It will be a very labored performance at times from Mexico.

Marco Fabian Will Look Good Again

One of the few bright spots for Mexico in the Panama loss was the goal by Marco Fabian. It was a good piece of finishing from the midfielder.

Fabian has a lot of talent, but his career has really stalled. A couple of years ago, he was talked about as being the next Javier Hernandez and making a move to Europe. That move hasn't materialized, and Fabian has been stuck in neutral a bit.

The Gold Cup is a great opportunity for him to get noticed on a large scale. There have likely been plenty of clubs tracking Fabian's progress. Given his club performances, they have been a bit wary regarding a move.

After his performance in the first match, Fabian likely knows what's at stake and will be looking to impress again against Canada.