Mexico vs. Cuba: Date, Time, Live Stream and 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Preview

Mexico begin their quest to reclaim the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Thursday in Chicago against Cuba in the second game of a Group C doubleheader at Soldier Field.

El Tri enter the clash with plenty of attacking weapons despite the loss of Javier Hernandez to a broken collarbone last week. But manager Miguel Herrera's side are arguably facing the most pressure of any team in the competition. Herrera's job could be on the line, while a play-off to determine the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup representative from North America will await with a win.

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As for Cuba, they come into the Group C clash as decided underdogs. To earn even a point in their first game of the Gold Cup, Cuba will have to play a miraculous game of soccer.

Below is all the vital information you need to know in the buildup to Thursday's match:

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2015

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

TV: Fox Sports 1, Unimas (USA), BT Sport 2 (UK)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go (USA), BT Sport Player (UK)

Mexico in Need of Impressive Start

With a massive amount of pressure on their shoulders, the Mexican players will have a chance to open the competition with a statement victory over Cuba.

In a region where few victories are guaranteed, El Tri should be able to lock up three points with ease against Cuba. But they must be wary of the challenge the United States received in their opener against Honduras. As one of the top squads in the region, Mexico will get each opponent's best test, especially in the group stage.

According to ESPN's El Tri Twitter account and ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe, Herrera has already decided on his starting 11 for the game at the home of the NFL's Chicago Bears:

The early release of the lineup, which is common practice for Herrera, pairs the experienced Oribe Peralta next to Carlos Vela up top. Vela enters the Gold Cup with a decent amount to prove on a personal level. The Real Sociedad man has been out of the Mexico camp for some time, and in order to regain the trust of the fans and his team-mates, he must deliver in the scoring department. 

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The extremely talented projected midfield of Hector Herrera, Jonathan Dos Santos and Andres Guardado should strike fear into the minds of the Cuba defenders. Keeping one of the three providers quiet is a hard enough task in its own right.

Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar are more than capable of surging forward from the full-back position when called upon. Expect to see a heavy dose of Layun and Aguilar throughout the first half as El Tri make their imprint on the match.

This first-choice starting 11 leaves Giovani Dos Santos on the bench, which means we may see him at some point in the second half. With little time in between matches, it would not shock us if Herrera is resting the Villarreal player for Sunday's match with Guatemala.

Marquez Highlights Stars on Cuba Roster

Midfielder Yenier Marquez enters Thursday with 123 caps and 15 goals to his name for Cuba. If head coach Raul Gonzalez Triana's side want to gain some type of hold in the midfield battle, Marquez will need to shine. Outside of Marquez, the Lions of the Caribbean possess two other experienced midfielders on their roster in Ariel Martinez and Alberto Gomez, who have combined for 82 international appearances. 

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Cuba will ask those three players to mentor the young guys in the squad in order to grind through Group C in search of points. One young player worth watching is 22-year-old forward Maikel Reyes. The scorer of one goal in six international matches may have the most potential of any young prospect on the Cuba roster. 

In the back four, 21-year-olds Adrian Diz and Andy Vaquero could play a part in the defensive effort alongside the likes of Jorge Luis Clavelo, Hanier Dranguet and Jorge Corrales.

Prediction: Mexico 4-0

This should be one of the most one-sided affairs of the tournament. Mexico are too good for Cuba, and that should become apparent in the first minute. El Tri contain too much class in the final third, which should lead to an early goal to calm the nerves.

Joe Tansey is covering the Gold Cup for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.