Following victories for both sides on Matchday 1, the Group B frontrunners will face off at SoFi Stadium in the early hours of Thursday morning.
With Ecuador and Jamaica sitting on zero points ahead of Matchday 2, Venezuela and Mexico will both be looking to book their place in the knockout phase.
In this preview, Forebet covers all the key stats and trends that you need to prepare for the game. Keep reading to discover what our AI algorithm predicts.
𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒂 🫡Primera sesión de trabajo en Los Ángeles.🔜 El miércoles enfrentamos a México en el @SoFiStadium #SiempreVinotinto 🇻🇪 #VibraElContinente pic.twitter.com/wjhPrdMzyl— La Vinotinto (@SeleVinotinto) June 25, 2024
𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒂 🫡Primera sesión de trabajo en Los Ángeles.🔜 El miércoles enfrentamos a México en el @SoFiStadium #SiempreVinotinto 🇻🇪 #VibraElContinente pic.twitter.com/wjhPrdMzyl
Venezuela came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Ecuador last time out, courtesy of second-half goals from Jhonder Cadiz and Eduard Bello.
Following Enner Valencia’s 22nd-minute red card, Jeremy Sarmiento put the Ecuadorians in front, but the Venezuelans made their advantage count after the break.
That result means that Venezuela have lost just one of their last eight matches across all competitions, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Italy in a friendly back in March.
Given that 10 of Venezuela’s previous 13 games have produced under 2.5 goals, Thursday’s clash will likely be another low-scoring affair.
Meanwhile, Mexico clinched a 1-0 victory over Jamaica in their opening match, with Gerardo Arteaga scoring the winner midway through the second half.
It’s fair to say that Mexico deserved to claim all three points against the Jamaicans, as they racked up 62% possession and 20 shots on the night.
That victory ended a two-game losing streak for the Mexicans, who suffered four defeats in six matches in the lead-up to the tournament.
It is also worth noting that Mexico have lost five of their previous nine games across all competitions, suggesting that they’re not at their best right now.
Head-to-head: Venezuela’s last victory over Mexico came all the way back in 1982, with the Mexicans winning 10 of the 13 meetings since then.
That said, Venezuela and Mexico have played out three draws in their previous five meetings, meaning we could see another tight encounter.
Team news: Mexico captain Edson Alvarez is a major doubt for his country’s second game after limping off the pitch in the 1-0 win against Jamaica.
Venezuela are expected to stick with the same XI that started the victory over Ecuador, with veteran striker Salomon Rondon likely to lead the line.
If recent meetings between Venezuela and Mexico are anything to go by, another tense and cagey encounter is on the cards here.
Forebet predicts that Venezuela and Mexico will play out a goalless draw at SoFi Stadium, with both sides strengthening their qualification chances.