The Club World Cup could not be held between November and December as usual due to the celebration of the World Cup Qatar 2022. This was the second consecutive year in which the dates were altered, as in 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was also held in early 2022. Thus, the first round of this competition will kick off on February 1 with Al Ahly vs Auckland City.
Al Ahly comes into this event as the African runner-up, and will face Oceania Confederation champions Auckland City. It is important to highlight that this will be a direct elimination match, so it is expected to be a game full of emotions.
Today, at JefeBet we bring you the preview, where you will find all the details for the Al Ahly vs Auckland City match, as well as our predictions, the available betting odds and more.
Predictions, Odds, Betting Preview for the Al Ahly vs Auckland City Club World Cup First Round Game on February 1, 2023.
- Where: Tangier Stadium, Tangier, Morocco.
- When: Wednesday, February 1, 2023, 2:00 PM E.T.
- BetMGM Moneyline: Al Ahly (-275) / Draw (+400) / Auckland City (+675)
- Unibet Asian Handicap: Al Ahly (AH -1.5, -110) / Auckland City (AH +1.5, -115)
- Over/Under (2.5): Over (-175), Under (+120).
- Both teams score: Yes (-110) / No (-125)
Odds provided by BetMGM and. Unibet.
[the_ad_placement id=”sports-futbol”]
Al Ahly Preview
Al Ahly heads into this match on an astonishing 21-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, with 17 wins and four draws. The last time they lost was on August 27 by a score of 1-0 to El Gaish in the Egyptian league.
The African team not only seeks to extend that positive record, but also to advance in this competition to improve its performance last year, when it finished in third place. This time the road is long as will start its journey from this first round, while last year it started from the second stage. They lead the Egyptian league with 37 points and are the only undefeated team in 15 games, with 11 wins and four draws.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Mohamed El-Shenawy; Khaled Abdelfattah, Rami Rabia, Mahmoud Metwaly, Marwan Attia; Hamdi Fathi, Aliou Dieng; Ahmed Abdelkader, Ahmed Nabil Kouka, Taher Mohamed; Mohamed Sherif.
Auckland City Preview
Auckland City earned its ticket to the Club World Cup by winning the Oceania Champions League in August 2022, after defeating Venus of French Polynesia by a score of 0-3. The New Zealand team is the top winner in the Oceanic Confederation, with a total of 10 titles.
In addition, they also come in as the reigning New Zealand league champions. However, Auckland City has not been active in local soccer since December, so it had a two-month break and this will be his first presentation in 2023. It is worth noting that it has five consecutive wins and only one loss in its last 10 games, with eight wins, one draw and one loss.
Probable lineup (3-5-2): Conor Tracey; Adam Mitchell, Nikko Boxall, Angel Berlanga; Cameron Howieson, Dylan Manickum, Jordan Vale, Mario Ilich, Reid Drake; Emiliano Tade, Ryan de Vries.
JefeBet Prediction
The only previous Club World Cup meeting between these two teams was in 2006, and that game ended by a score of 0-2 in favor of the African team. Al Ahly’s victory could be repeated here, as they look superior, as they play in a more competitive league.
Prediction: Al Ahly wins by a score of 1-0.