David Flower
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the 8th round of the AFC Champions League will take place in Jeddah, where Al-Ahli will host Qatar’s Al-Gharafa at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium. We suggest a bet on goals in this encounter with solid chances of success.
Match Preview
Al-Ahli is having a great season and has already secured a place in the AFC Champions League playoffs. After seven rounds, the team sits in second place in the group standings with 19 points, trailing Al-Hilal only on goal difference.
Their only misstep came in a home match against Esteghlal Tehran in the sixth round. Notably, last week in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Ahli hosted Al-Nassr and suffered a 2-3 defeat. After 20 league rounds, they are currently in fifth place in the Saudi Pro League standings.
Meanwhile, Al-Gharafa secured a 1-0 home win over Pakhtakor in the last AFC Champions League round. This victory allowed the Qatari club to move into the playoff zone, currently sitting in seventh place. However, ninth-placed Persepolis is only one point behind.
Leading up to this match, Al-Gharafa claimed a 2-1 away victory over Al-Shamal in the Qatari Stars League. After 15 rounds, they are in third place in the league standings, trailing leaders Al-Duhail by four points.
Probable Lineups
- Al-Ahli: Al Sanbi – Mahrashi, Hamidu, Ibanes, Yaslam – Kessi, Al-Asmari – Mahrez, Veiga, Al-Breikan – Toney
- Al-Gharafa: N'Diaye – Sano, Traore, Yousif – Diaz, Sassi – Coman, Brahimi, Al-Ganehi, Hamed – Joselu
Facts and Head-to-Head
- The "Under 2.5 Goals" bet has landed in their last three encounters.
- The "Both Teams to Score" bet has hit in two of the last five meetings.
- Al-Ahli has won two of their last five matches against Al-Gharafa, without suffering a single defeat.
Prediction
Bookmakers heavily favor Al-Ahli, offering odds no higher than 1.38 for their victory. However, we see value in betting on "Both Teams to Score" at 1.82. The visitors are desperate for points, while the hosts are unlikely to ease off in front of their home fans, despite already securing qualification.
