Will Venezuela lose to the USA for the fourth time in a row? This and other interesting questions will be examined in our predictions for the third round match of the WBSC group stage. For both teams, the tournament is not progressing ideally. So, the meeting could hold many surprises.
Venezuela
Venezuela seems like the potential “surprise” of the competition. However, it still catastrophically lacks stability. Yesterday, the team unexpectedly lost to Panama (2:4), without leaving much chance for Mexico (8:4). Previously, the South Americans did not perform well at the Pan American Games, finishing only seventh. This time too it will be difficult for the “tricolors”, especially considering that there are only two places in the playoffs.
USA
The USA is improving throughout the competition, which should lead to acceptable results. The team appears imposing compared to most opponents, having a huge advantage in player selection. Last night, the Americans easily broke the resistance of the Dutch (12:2), partially redeeming themselves with their fans for the previous defeat against Puerto Rico (0:1). Matt Shaw stood out brilliantly against the general background, delighting with outstanding statistics (three runs, four hits and seven RBI).
Predictions from the editorial team
We are deeply convinced that this meeting will be dominated by the USA. The representatives of North America have a significant advantage in terms of class, and we expect them to make the most of the weaknesses of their humble opponents. The victory of the guests with a handicap of -1.5 is the optimal choice for the match.