Al Ittihad will be in action against Auckland City in the first round of the Club World Cup at King Abdullah Sports City stadium on December 12, 2023.
Al Ittihad earned their berth in this prestigious tournament by clinching the Saudi Pro League championship for the 2022/23 season. On the other hand, Auckland City, hailing from New Zealand, secured their spot as the 2023 OFC Champions League winners.
Both teams are eager to progress to the next phase of the competition as they face off against each other.
Notably, Al Ittihad recently parted ways with their head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, the former manager of Wolves and Tottenham. It remains to be seen who will step in to lead the Saudi side in their match against their first Club World Cup opponents.
Al Ittihad vs Auckland City Prediction by Vbet News
These two teams have not crossed paths in major tournaments before, and both are highly motivated to emerge as victors in their upcoming showdown.
Al Ittihad, the reigning champions of the Saudi Pro League, have had a rather lackluster start to their current campaign. They currently occupy the 6th position in the league standings, with a record of six wins, three draws, and three losses.
In their most recent five matches across all competitions, Al Ittihad secured two victories, had one draw, and suffered two defeats. Their recent loss to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the AFC Champions League ultimately led to the departure of their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo.
On the other hand, Auckland City have yet to return to action following their Chatham Cup Fourth Round match against Wester Spring, which ended in a 3-2 loss back in July.
Considering the recent performances of both teams, making a precise prediction is challenging. Al Ittihad have been struggling after an impressive last season, while Auckland City lacks recent match practice to be formidable opponents against the Saudi Pro League side. Consequently, our prediction leans towards Al Ittihad as the likely winners in the upcoming Club World Cup match.
Image Source: Getty Images
Al Ittihad vs Auckland City Top Betting Tips
Will be updated soon.
Al Ittihad vs Auckland City Predicted Lineups
More to follow.