David Flower
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the second round of the Egyptian Premier League will be held on Thursday in El Mahalla El Kubra, where Ghazl El Mahalla hosts Tala'ea El Gaish at the El Ghazl Stadium. Here’s a betting recommendation for the goal total with favorable odds.
Match Preview
The “Black and Blues” had an impressive season in the second division last year, deservedly finishing in second place behind Petrojet. Despite trailing the leader by 12 points, Ghazl El Mahalla secured a comfortable 3-point lead over their nearest competitor. In the opening round of the new Premier League season, Abdelbaki Gamal’s team faced Ismaily away and came away with a 0-0 draw. The league newcomer showed no signs of intimidation, holding their own against an experienced opponent, with a shot tally of 15:9 and shots on target at 5:2.
Tala'ea El Gaish finished last season with two wins in their final three matches, securing a calm 10th position on the league table, 13 points away from the top four. In the new season, under the guidance of Abdel Bassiouni, they participated in the Egypt Cup, advancing past Zamalek on penalties but eventually being eliminated by Ismaily. In the league opener, Tala'ea El Gaish suffered a home defeat to Al Masry, 0-2, marking a rocky start.
Probable Line-ups
- Ghazl El Mahalla: Amer; Hassan, Hakam, El Gazar, Fatawu; Essam, Toure, Gaber, Hamdi, Yehia, Hossam
- Tala'ea El Gaish: Shaaban; Meteb, Camacho, Sotoni, Dzola; Mkami, Fathy, Tarek, Omran, Wahid, Okwara
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- The “Both Teams to Score” bet has hit in two of the last five encounters between these teams.
- The “Over 2.5 Goals” bet came through in only one of their last five matchups.
Prediction
Bookmakers are cautious with this match, offering odds of around 2.46 for a home win. We believe this encounter is unlikely to feature many goals, so our pick is "Under 2.0 Goals" at odds of 1.84.
