Esteghlal vs Al-Shorta prediction, H2H & Probable Line-ups – February 3, 2025
One of the matches of the 7th round of the AFC Champions League group stage will take place on Monday in Tehran, where Esteghlal will host Iraqi side Al-Shorta. I suggest a bet on this match with a good odds value.
Match Preview
The Tehran club fought for the championship last season and came close to claiming the title, but a decisive loss to Nassaji Mazandaran left them in second place. Their start to this season has also been far from ideal. After 18 rounds, the team sits only in 9th place, trailing Sepahan by 17 points.
Any title ambitions are now out of reach, and recent results do not indicate improvement. However, a home victory over Esteghlal Khuzestan last week ended a six-match winless streak in the Persian Gulf Pro League. In the AFC Champions League, they currently occupy the 8th position, but the standings remain tight, with just one point separating them from Pakhtakor and Al-Gharafa.
Meanwhile, Al-Shorta has struggled in the AFC Champions League, sitting at the bottom of the group. The Iraqi side has collected just two points from six matches and is yet to secure a win. Surprisingly, their chances are still alive, as they are only three points behind Esteghlal.
Domestically, Al-Shorta is performing much better, currently in second place in the Iraqi Premier League. After 17 rounds, they have amassed 34 points, trailing the leader by just one point. Al-Shorta has lost only once in 17 matches, recording nine wins. Just last week, they secured an away victory over Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya with a 2:1 scoreline.
Possible Line-ups
- Esteghlal: Hosseini, Jalali, Salimi, Cheshmi, Hardani, Ndong, Rezevand, Ahmadi, Rezaeian, Koho, Azadi
- Al-Shorta: Basil, Alwan, Al-Tekreeti, Binjem, Hasim, Ali, Youssef, Yaseem, Shakir, Dawood, Al-Mawas
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- In 2021, the teams met in the AFC Champions League, and Esteghlal won both encounters.
- The "Both Teams to Score" bet landed in two of their last four meetings.
- The "Total Over 2.5" bet won in only one of the last four matches.
Prediction
Bookmakers favor the hosts in this match, offering odds of 1.62 for an Esteghlal victory. However, we believe Al-Shorta will not give up easily. Our suggested bet is "Total Under 2.5" at odds of 1.92.
