Last Updated on December 13, 2023 3:54 pm by Erwin Noguera
The FIFA Club World Cup begins a new edition, this time hosted by Saudi Arabia, and there will be a duel between two attractive teams, on the one hand, the best team in Africa, Al Ahly, and on the other, Al Ittihad, who defeated Auckland in the first round.
Al Ahly qualified for this tournament by winning the African Champions League, beating Wydad Casablanca 2-1 in the final last June.
Al Ittihad, invited because it’s the champion of the host country, reached the second round of the Club World Cup thanks to a 3-0 win over Auckland, with goals from Romarinho, N’Golo Kanté, and Karim Benzema.
When:
Friday, December 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET in King Abdullah Sports City of Buraidah
Moneyline odds:
Al Ahly 4.54
Al-Ittihad 1.77
Draw Offs:
3.68
Where Can I Watch?
Star+ and Paramount+
Why Bet on Al Ahly?
Al Ahly is the biggest team in African soccer, or at least the most successful. They qualified for the Club World Cup after beating Wydad Casablanca 2-1 in the final but in a distant June.
Before facing this match in Saudi Arabia for the FIFA tournament, the Egyptian team drew 0-0 with CR Belouizdad in the African Champions League.
The team coached by Swiss Marcel Koller is second in the Egyptian league with 14 points from six games, two behind Pyramids. However, they lead their zone with five points from three matches at the international level.
With 11 titles in the African Champions League, no team is more impressive in that part of the world. They also have several players from the Egyptian national team, such as Mohamed El-Shenawy and Hussein El Shahat. However, the club’s most recognized name is striker Anthony Modeste.
The 35-year-old French striker emigrated to Egyptian soccer after a not-so-fruitful spell with Borussia Dortmund in Germany. But let’s not forget that Modeste scored 20 goals in the 2021-2022 Bundesliga with Köln.
Al Ahly finished third in the 2006, 2020, and 2021 World Cups. They were fourth in the last edition, beating Auckland City and Seattle Sounders and losing 4-1 to Real Madrid.
Why Bet on Al-Ittihad?
Al-Ittihad is one of the teams that invested the most in Saudi Arabian soccer, partly because they have the challenge of playing in the Club World Cup. They are champions of the local league where the tournament takes place. So, they participate as hosts.
To qualify for the second round, the local team defeated Auckland 3-0, with goals from Romarinho, N’Golo Kanté, and Karim Benzema. It was a match without problems.
Undoubtedly, the arrival of Marcelo Gallardo took the pressure off this team, which was not having a good time under the previous coach. Moreover, it helped Benzema, as he was not at his best with his new club.
Al Ittihad has another star in the form of Brazilian recovery midfielder Fabinho, who has a past with Liverpool and his country’s national team.
In the Arabian Super League, they are fifth with 28 points and have only lost one of their last seven games, so the Gallardo effect has been felt on the pitch.
Defender Luiz Felipe is the only absentee for the Arabian team.
Final Betting Analysis: Al Ahly vs. Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad has many former world-class players, plays at home, and is, as such, the big favorite to advance from this round. Getting eliminated here would be a massive upset, especially considering the intentions of the Saudis to assault the global soccer scenario, so don’t expect less than the best from this team.
The numbers at MyBookie.ag have Al-Ittihad as the favorite. The Moneyline for them shows 1.77, while Al Ahly has 4.54, and the draw is at 3.68.
We believe another 3-0 is coming our way.
Go for a win in Al-Ittihad’s Moneyline. If you bet $100 at 1.77, you will gain $77 for a total payout of $177.
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