Shabab Al Ahli Dubai
- Paulo Sousa’s side sit 5th in the group after four games, having collected 7 points so far, a return that represents solid progress in what is still an early stage of the competition.
- This Shabab Al Ahli Dubai vs Al-Gharafa prediction is further strengthened by the fact that Shabab Al Ahli Dubai have been strong at home this campaign, winning both of their last two matches there.
- Shabab have won four of their last five matches in all competitions, and their recent performances under Sousa have marked them out as one of the most aggressive pressing teams in the competition, regularly forcing turnovers in the opposition half through their fluid positional play.
- They are strong wide, and the wingers and full-backs frequently provide the width to overload opponents and allow their more creative players to move into more advanced positions.
Al-Gharafa
- Al-Gharafa, the visitors, are currently in 9th place in the same group with just 3 points after 4 games.
- Pedro Martins has set up Al-Gharafa to play in a completely different way, focusing more on compactness and rapid transitions in what is a more reactive setup.
- The visitors will sit deep and stay compact, before springing on the counter with a crossing game and pace in behind.
- Al-Gharafa have struggled on the road this season, with their away form in the AFC Champions League being particularly dire - 2 losses in as many games, conceding 8 goals in the process.
Head-to-Head
The two sides played out a tight match in the AFC Champions League Qualification 2024/2025 last season, with Al-Gharafa edging to a 1-0 victory on home soil.
Key Players
- Seydou Sano has been their danger man in recent weeks, scoring 3 goals in their last 5 matches and driving much of their attacking output.
- The wingers and full-backs frequently provide the width to overload opponents and allow creative players to move into more advanced positions.
Betting Insights
- Our Shabab Al Ahli Dubai vs Al-Gharafa betting tips highlight that Al-Gharafa are 6.5 to take anything from Monday’s game, with the hosts favourites at 1.4.
- The hosts have conceded just 2 goals at their own ground in this competition, while Al-Gharafa have been struggling on the road.
- The Shabab Al Ahli Dubai vs Al-Gharafa betting tips further suggest that over 2.5 goals is priced at 1.5, and the clash between Shabab’s proactive pressing and Al-Gharafa’s quick transitions suggests there is scope for an end-to-end game.
Prediction
- A home win looks likely.
- Shabab Al Ahli Dubai’s recent form, strong home record and Al-Gharafa’s poor away performances point to the hosts taking the three points.
