USA vs Oman Picks and Predictions: USMNT Pull Out Gritty Victory

Following a sub-par outing against Uzbekistan over the weekend, the USMNT close their international soccer window with a friendly against Oman on Tuesday night.

A pair of goals in stoppage time gave the Yanks a 3-0 win, a scoreline that quite frankly flattered them. Manager Gregg Berhalter will likely rotate the squad for this second friendly, in hopes of seeing a better performance.

Oman has suffered only one defeat so far in 2023 and will look to continue that trend following a 2-1 win over Palestine nearly a week ago. They now travel halfway around the world for just their third-ever meeting with a CONCACAF nation.

Will the USMNT rebound with a better showing, or will it be tough sledding against Oman? Find out in my United States vs. Oman betting picks and predictions for Tuesday, September 12. 

USA vs Oman best odds

USA		Oman
-450	Moneyline	+900
+475	Draw	+475
Over 2.5 (-134)	Total	Under 2.5 (+105)

Odds courtesy of bet365 on September 11, 2023.

USA vs Oman picks and predictions

USA's showing against Uzbekistan did little to satisfy the fans in attendance, who booed Berhalter in his first match back in charge. There were mistakes at the back, one of which led to a breakaway on goal that Turner was able to snuff out. There was also the substitution of striker Folarin Balogun at halftime, who wasted a chance shortly after the opening goal when he headed off the post.

If not for the brilliant play of Matt Turner in net, some could argue Team USA would have lost.

So Tuesday’s match against Oman is an opportunity for Berhalter to quiet some of the critics of his re-hiring. Whether or not he can achieve that with what’s expected to be a rotated squad is up for question.

Oman is ranked just one spot below Uzbekistan, so the Americans can’t afford to overlook them. That said, the attacking talent possessed by Oman shouldn’t pose huge problems for the Yanks — provided they clean up the mistakes. Berhalter blamed many of those on Uzbekistan running five at the back, a tactic which has caused his side issues in the past.

Turner won’t be between the posts on Tuesday, having returned to England for the birth of his new child. Either Drake Callender or Ethan Horvath will don the gloves instead. 

Many expect Callender to earn his first-ever cap on Tuesday after he was allowed to stay with Inter Miami for their match against Sporting K.C. this weekend. The Inter Miami keeper has been stellar over the past two months since Lionel Messi joined the club, and his heroics in the Leagues Cup earned a call-up to the side. 

That’s a big reason why regardless of who plays in front of him, I’m on the Americans to keep a clean sheet. Callender’s the type of big-match player who inspires those in front of him and can make big one-on-one stops, as he’s shown recently. 

At the other end, I simply don’t trust Berhalter’s tactics to lead to a high-scoring affair. Even with his “A-team” against Uzbekistan, it took a late penalty to push the total Over 2.5 goals, and with Pulisic and Weah expected to be available only off the bench, I think we see another match where American fans are sweating the result to the end.

Take TonyBet’s combo play of the Americans to win and the score to go Under 2.5 goals, and double your stake with a favorable +200 line. 

My best bet: USA moneyline and Under 2.5 goals (+200 at TonyBet)

USA vs Oman same-game parlay

Under 2.5 goals

USA HT/FT result

+400 at bet365

TonyBet doesn’t offer same-game parlays, so I headed over to bet365 to cook something up. I'm sticking with Under 2.5 goals, but am not pairing it with the USA win on the 3-way line.

Instead, I'm going to adjust it a bit and take the Americans to be ahead at both halftime and at the final whistle. Oman conceded inside of five minutes against Palestine last week, and in the three matches they’ve failed to win this calendar year they’ve allowed a goal in the opening 45 minutes.

I’m projecting this match to follow a similar pattern as many under Berhalter over the past few years. The Americans will put Oman under pressure in the opening half hour, finding a goal to take the lead. They’ll then either struggle to find a second or simply waste chances, allowing Oman to build some confidence.

I anticipate the big guns will come off the bench in the second half and either score a goal or relieve some of the pressure, with the USMNT coming away with a 1-0 or 2-0 victory. That’ll be enough to see us cash the best bet and the SGP, just like we did on Saturday night with our picks in the Uzbekistan match!

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

USA vs Oman side and Over/Under analysis

The Americans are favored in the -450 range to win on the 3-way line, although they’re priced as high as -600 at FanDuel. Oman can be had as high as +1,300, with the draw paying up to +490.

I don’t think Oman has enough weapons to win, and travel is a real concern for them. The Americans had a short flight from St. Louis to Minneapolis, while Oman had to fly from the Middle East on Thursday. Add to that the emphasis in training on cleaning up mistakes, and I think you’ll see a stronger performance at the back for the USMNT.

As for the total, I’d likely lean Over were this a full-strength side for the Americans. But Berhalter tends towards the 1-0 and 2-0 results more when he rotates and that’s what I’m projecting for this outing.

Oman has seen two or fewer goals scored in five of their eight matches this calendar year, and they lost to Germany in a 1-0 match back in November. As for the Americans, their match would’ve gone Under on Saturday if not for two late goals. 

USA vs Oman game info

USA vs Oman key injuries

USA: Joe Scally D (Out), Luca de la Torre M (Questionable). 
Oman: No injuries to report.

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