On September 15, 2025, the AFC Champions League’s West Group will kick off with Al Wahda from the UAE facing off against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad. The match is set to start at 18:00 Central European Time. Here’s a look at what to expect from both teams’ goal-scoring capabilities.
Al Wahda
Al Wahda did not play in last season’s AFC Champions League, but they secured a spot this year by finishing third in the UAE League. Their new season has been promising, with three matches resulting in two goalless draws and one win. They are currently in fifth place in the league table and have reached the quarterfinals of the UAE League Cup.
At home, Al Wahda has been strong, remaining unbeaten in their last eight matches. They have faced Al Ittihad three times before, winning once in their latest home match in 2019, which they won 4-1, though they lost the other two encounters.
Al Ittihad
Al Ittihad won the Saudi Arabian championship last season and also took home the Saudi King’s Cup. However, their new campaign began on a less favorable note when they were knocked out of the Saudi Super Cup semifinals by Al Nassr. In the league, they have bounced back with significant wins, defeating Al Akhdoud 5-2 and Al Fateh 4-2. Although they didn’t participate in the AFC Champions League last year, they made it to the quarterfinals the season prior, losing to Al Hilal.
In their total six encounters with Al Wahda, Al Ittihad has the upper hand, winning three times, drawing twice, and suffering one defeat. Only two of these matches featured goals from both teams, while three were high-scoring matches.
Probable lineups
- Al Wahda: Ahmed, Zouhir, Ghorbani, Ivkovic, Amaral, Hamad, Jadson, Folha, Khribin, Tadic, Kruspski.
- Al Ittihad: Rajkovic, Al Shankiti, Al-Mousa, Pereira, Fagihi, Kante, Fabinho, Aouar, Bergwijn, Diaby, Benzema.
Key facts and head-to-head record
- Al Wahda has not lost in their last 18 matches.
- Seven of Al Ittihad’s last eight games featured over 2.5 goals.
- Both teams scored in six of Al Ittihad’s last seven matches.
Match prediction: Al Wahda vs Al Ittihad
Both Al Wahda and Al Ittihad come into this match in good form. Al Wahda has been especially strong at home, while Al Ittihad has started their league campaign with impressive victories. Their last meeting was high-scoring and both teams have shown they can attack well this season. Given their current performances, an entertaining and high-scoring match is likely. The prediction for this match is over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.56.