Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the AFC Champions League second-round clashes will be held in Riyadh, where Al-Hilal will host Iraqi side Al-Shorta at the Kingdom Arena. Here's the prediction from the Dailysports expert team.
Al-Hilal
Under Jorge Jesus' guidance, Al-Hilal had a dominant previous season, clinching the league title with a comfortable margin, finishing 14 points ahead of their main rivals, Al-Nassr. In addition to their domestic triumph, the team confidently reached the semifinals of the AFC Champions League.
The current campaign started on a high note with a Super Cup victory, and in five league matches so far, Al-Hilal have maintained a perfect record. Most recently, they secured a 4-2 away win against Al-Kholood. In the first round of the Champions League, Jorge Jesus’ men triumphed 3-1 against Al-Rayyan.
Al-Shorta
The "Knights" comfortably won the Iraqi Premier League last season, finishing five points clear of their nearest challenger, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya. Remarkably, Aleksandar Ilic's side hasn’t tasted defeat since mid-February 2024, when they lost away to Al-Talaba in the Iraqi league.
In the ongoing Iraqi Stars League, Al-Shorta have only played two matches but have already experienced a minor setback. In the first round, they hosted Al-Karma and were held to a 2-2 draw. However, they responded emphatically by thrashing Diwala 6-0 on the road. In the first round of the AFC Champions League, the Iraqi side managed a credible 1-1 draw against tournament favorites Al-Nassr.
Match Facts
- The "Over 2.5 Goals" bet has hit in four of Al-Hilal’s last five games.
- Both teams have scored in three of Al-Hilal’s previous four matches.
- Only two of Al-Shorta’s last five games have seen both teams scoring.
H2H
The teams last met in the AFC Champions League in the 2003/04 season, when Al-Hilal secured victories in both encounters.
Probable Lineups
- Al-Hilal: Bono, Cancelo, Koulibaly, Al Bulaihi, Lodi, Al-Dawsari, Milinković-Savić, Malcom, Leonardo, Al-Dawsari, Mitrović
- Al-Shorta: Basil, Alwan, Al Taqreeti, Binjem, Hashim, Ali, Youssef, Yassir, Shakir, Dawood, Al Mawas
Prediction
Al-Hilal are overwhelming favorites with odds of just 1.08 for a home win. We don’t expect a blowout victory, so our recommended bet is “Al-Shorta to win with a (+3.0) handicap” at odds of 1.60.
