Mexico will take on the USA in the centrepiece of the 12th round of CONCACAF qualifying. Both teams were considered clear favourites to qualify, but have suffered a disappointing series over the course of the long competition. Mexico's slump looked particularly unexpected. "The Tricolors" have always dominated qualifying in the 21st century. Now, with three rounds to go, there is a real risk of not qualifying for the World Cup. However, it is still minimal. The Mexicans face Honduras and El Salvador. Two victories should be enough to ensure qualification. The Mexicans are the clear favourites for the next game, although there is no global advantage in terms of performance. The home side have a backbone of the players from the local league. There are no European stars in the squad at the moment. The Americans, by contrast, have one of the most talented generations of players in their history, but there are problems even against the underdogs. The USA have a tougher tournament situation. They face Panama and Costa Rica. They are direct rivals. A defeat in Mexico will considerably complicate their chances of qualifying for Qatar. Four years ago, the Americans got nervous at the finish line and missed out on a win over Panama. The team's star player, Christian Pulisic, is ready to play. The squad is relatively young, compared to the Mexicans. At the same time, we can't say that the national team plays attacking and entertaining football. Gregg Berhalter's side have a streak of six games under 2.5, which is rare at this level. In the last nine games, the team has only beaten the total once. Based on this statistic, the bookmakers even give a base total of two goals for the game in Mexico. It makes sense to play against the trend. The match between Mexico and the USA is a special event for local football. Passions often boil and many goals are scored. In the local Nations League final, for example, the Americans were stronger, 3-2. Among their recent head-to-head encounters they have also been dominated by draws, but odds of 2.50 for a total of more than 2.5 are clearly too much from the bookmakers. Both teams have a quality selection of attacking performers. It is difficult to imagine a 0-0 game, although theoretically from the tournament point of view such an arrangement will suit the opponents. It is important for the Americans to win the match against a formidable opponent. Such victories haven't been seen in a very long time. The Mexicans are highly motivated, too. The home side's reputation is at stake, and they will not want to bring matters to a nervous end of qualification. Plus, there is the stands factor. Emotional fans could provoke a productive encounter.