David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Sharjah Cultural Club
Al-Hussein SC
The second leg of the AFC Champions League 2 playoff stage will be played on Tuesday at Sharjah Stadium, where the home side Al-Sharjah will face Al-Hussein. In the first match, Al-Sharjah secured a 1-0 victory. We suggest a bet on goals in this match with good winning potential.
Match Preview
Al-Sharjah is having a strong season in the UAE First Division, holding onto second place in the league standings after 15 rounds. The team has recorded 12 wins and suffered only two defeats. However, the race for the top spot has become more challenging, with their gap to Al-Ahli Dubai increasing to four points following a 1-2 away defeat to Ittihad Kalba.
In the AFC Champions League, Al-Sharjah performed excellently in the group stage, finishing first in Group C. Across six matches, they secured four wins and collected 13 points, comfortably advancing to the knockout rounds. In the first playoff match, Al-Sharjah was clearly superior (xG 0.20-1.28) and deservedly claimed victory.
The "Northern Raiders" started their season with silverware, winning the Jordan Super Cup. In a two-legged encounter against Al-Wehdat, the team took a crucial step towards success in the first match with a convincing 3-1 away win. In the return leg, Al-Hussein played cautiously, settling for a goalless draw and securing the title.
Last season, the team clinched the championship with a comfortable five-point lead. In the AFC Champions League, Al-Hussein also performed well, finishing second in their group. They registered three wins, twice defeating Nasaf (2-1, 2-1) and overcoming Al-Kuwait (2-1). However, against Al-Sharjah, the team struggled. Despite dominating possession (63%-37%), they failed to create significant scoring chances.
Probable Lineups
- Al-Sharjah: Al-Hosani, Petrovic, Katinic, Cho, Ibrahim, Taarabt, Hassan, Meloni, Konrad, Luanzinho, Lucas.
- Al-Hussein: Kawamleh, Haddad, Al-Quraishi, Al-Rosan, Hajjabi, Ayed, Obaid, Jalbush, Ajagun, Al-Mardi, Al-Attar.
Match Facts & Head-to-Head
- The "Over 2.5 Goals" bet won in one of Al-Sharjah's last five matches.
- The "Both Teams to Score" bet won in one of Al-Sharjah's last five games.
- The "Over 2.5 Goals" bet won in two of Al-Hussein's last five matches.
Prediction
Bookmakers favor the home side, offering odds of around 1.55 for an Al-Sharjah victory. We believe the hosts will win again and keep a clean sheet. Our bet is "Both Teams to Score – No" at odds of 1.78.
