Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the fixtures of the seventh round in the Egyptian Premier League Relegation Group will take place on Friday at the El-Ghazl Stadium, where the local side Ghazl El Mahalla will host El Gouna. Here’s my take on a solid betting pick for this match, offering good chances for a win.
Match preview
Ghazl El Mahalla currently sits seventh in the standings, having collected 21 points from 22 matches. The gap to the nearest chasers, Modern Sport and Ismaily, is just two points. Such a tight situation at the bottom of the table means there’s no room for complacency in the battle for Premier League survival.
In the last round, Ghazl El Mahalla faced Al Ittihad away and played out a goalless draw. This result extended Gamal’s side’s poor run, with just one win and three defeats in their last four matches. However, the team’s trump card remains their home form: in their last five home games, Ghazl El Mahalla has claimed four victories and suffered only one loss.
El Gouna, meanwhile, look comfortable in the relegation group, sitting second in the table. An eight-point cushion above the drop zone allows the team to approach the remaining fixtures with optimism. Still, their current form isn’t impressive—two consecutive losses suggest the club is merely playing out the season.
In their last match, El Gouna hosted Tala’ea El Gaish and lost 0-1, conceding the only goal early in the second half. Before that, El Gouna also lost at home by the same scoreline to Modern Sport. As for their away record, El Gouna has picked up three wins and a draw in their last four road games.
Probable lineups
- Ghazl El Mahalla: Ahmed Mayhoub, El Henawy, Al-Aash, Samir, Abdelrazak, Mostafa, Ayesh, El Nadry, Gaber, El Sheikh, Ekpenyong
- El Gouna: Masoud, El Deghemy, Abdallah, Rasoul Ahmed, Jatta, Ahmed, Shousha, Abdelrahman, Shika, Randrianantenaina, Mukka
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the first round, Ghazl El Mahalla defeated El Gouna away 1-0
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has landed in only one of the last five matches
- The "Both teams to score" bet has also only come through once in the last five head-to-heads
Prediction
Bookmakers are giving a slight edge to the hosts, recognizing that El Gouna is no longer playing with real motivation. The recommended pick here is "Under 2.0 goals" at odds of 1.61.
