Sunday serves up a Copa America clash between Uruguay and Panama. Uruguay will be hoping to win on day four of the competition to put themselves in the best position to get out of a group featuring the USMNT and Bolivia. Meanwhile, Panama will be hoping they can defy the Copa America odds to pull off an upset and show the world why they belong here.
So get stuck into these Copa America 2024 picks and take a look at our Uruguay vs Panama prediction.
Uruguay vs Panama picks, predictions, and betting tips
My best bet:
Uruguay -1 (-111 at Betano)
My analysis
Group C gets underway on Sunday and it’s potentially a tough group with Uruguay, USA, Bolivia, and Panama all in the mix. Panama are the weakest team in the group which makes it essential that Uruguay get their tournament off to a good start with victory.
Uruguay are amongst the favorites for Copa America and will be more than confident of winning this game and getting off to a strong start in the group. In many ways a game against Panama is the perfect way to start the competition, it’s in theory an easier game that will allow them to ease their way into the tournament.
When you look at these two squads there is a chasm in quality between both teams. The Uruguayan team is packed with top-level experience, with veterans like Luis Suarez, who despite being old is still an important figure. Elsewhere they have Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez who has scored 11 times in 23 games for his country and strong defensive talent with Ronald Araujo and Jose Maria Gimenez playing for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid respectively. In midfield they’re stacked with experience, with Manuel Ugarte of PSG, Spurs’ Rodrigo Bentancur, and Federico Valverde who just won the Champions League with Real Madrid.
Compare that with the Panama team and they have just Michael Amir Murilo of Marseille, their sole representative in Europe’s top five leagues. The rest plays across the Americas or at lower leagues in Europe or elsewhere. That really tells you the difference between both teams and why it’ll be tough for Panama.
These teams last met in a friendly game in 2022, which saw Uruguay win 5-0, a marginally better result than the 3-0 victory they had three years before that. Panama have beaten Montserrat and Guyana in World Cup qualifiers this month but it’s a huge step up to play Uruguay. For their part, Uruguay’s first warm-up game ahead of this competition saw them draw 0-0 with Costa Rice but six days later they thrashed Mexico 4-0 with Darwin Nunez scoring a hat-trick.
With Nunez in form, this Uruguay team could be frightening, they’re experienced and have real technical quality. That’s what could set them apart at this competition and in this game.
Uruguay vs Panama same-game parlay (SGP)
Uruguay -1
Uruguay moneyline — First Half
Panama team total Under 0.5 goals
In addition to our best bet, we’re going to back Uruguay to be winning at halftime. We’ve spoken above about the huge difference in quality between both teams and that should come to be decisive early in this game. It’s also worth noting that in the two occasions these teams have met in friendlies over the past five years we’ve seen Uruguay take the lead in the first half.
We’re also backing Panama to score Under 0.5 goals. Uruguay have kept a clean sheet against them in both of those two wins over the past five years. Uruguay has kept a clean sheet in both of their games so far in June and has averaged less than a goal conceded per game in the World Cup qualifiers so far this campaign.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Uruguay vs Panama odds
| Uruguay | Panama | |
|---|---|---|
| -303 | Moneyline | +1,025 |
| Over 2.5 (-133) | Total | Under 2.5 (+107) |
| +450 | Draw | +450 |
Odds courtesy of Betano on 6-21
Uruguay vs Panama game info
| Location: | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL |
| Date: | Sunday, June 23, 2024 |
| Time: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FOX |
| Weather: |
Warm, rainy conditions. |
Not intended for use in MA.
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