Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
Bonus up to $130/€100
On Monday, December 2, the sixth round of the AFC Champions League will feature a match between Persepolis from Iran and Al-Shorta from Iraq. I suggest a bet on the individual total of one of the teams.
Persepolis - Al-Shorta: Match Facts and H2H
- Persepolis is unbeaten in their last four matches: two draws and two wins.
- Al-Shorta has lost their last two games.
- Persepolis has an impressive home streak, going 20 matches unbeaten at home.
- Al-Shorta has the second-worst defense in this season's AFC Champions League, conceding 14 goals in five matches.
- Persepolis scores more than 1.5 goals in 60% of their matches, while Al-Shorta does so in 73%.
- Al-Shorta concedes in both halves in 45% of their games.
- Persepolis has won 47% of their matches without conceding a goal. However, they also suffer more clean-sheet losses (20%) compared to Al-Shorta (9%).
- Persepolis and Al-Shorta have never faced each other before.
Persepolis - Al-Shorta: Match Preview
The Iranian side is in decent form, currently unbeaten in four matches. Their home form is particularly impressive, with a 20-match unbeaten streak at their stadium. Persepolis is second in their domestic league table with 20 points after nine matches and a game in hand. They trail the top team by just one point, making them strong contenders for the top spot. However, their performance in the AFC Champions League has been less impressive, failing to win any of their last five matches and drawing three. Persepolis has three points and sits ninth in the standings, just one point away from a playoff spot. With three matches left in the group stage, they have a good chance of advancing.
Al-Shorta has struggled even more in the AFC Champions League. In their five previous matches, they’ve managed only two draws and are second to last in the standings. Their defensive issues are glaring, with 14 goals conceded—the second-worst in the competition. Additionally, they’ve only scored three goals, the second-worst offensive record. They trail the eighth-place team by two points, but their weak defense makes a playoff push highly unlikely.
Probable Line-ups
- Persepolis: Ghandouz; Faraji, Gvelesiani, Pouraliganji, Mohammadi; Rafiei, Sarlak, Amiri; Alishah, Urunov, Alipour
- Al-Shorta: Basil; Sabah, Banga, Younis, Yahya; Subaihawi, Dawood, Jassim, Youssef; Al-Saedi, Ali
Prediction
Persepolis is playing at home against a team that has one of the weakest defenses in the competition. Furthermore, the Iranian side boasts an excellent home record, remaining unbeaten in their last 20 matches. I see them as clear favorites for this game. My bet is on the hosts’ individual total over 1.5 goals, with odds of 1.74.
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