The first match of the 2025 Intercontinental Cup is set for Sunday in Cairo, where Egyptian team Pyramids will take on Auckland City from New Zealand. This matchup presents an interesting betting opportunity.
Match preview
Last season, Pyramids narrowly missed out on the Egyptian league title, finishing just two points behind Al Ahly. They also achieved success in the CAF Champions League final against Mamelodi Sundowns, coming out on top over two legs.
This season hasn’t begun ideally for Pyramids, as they are currently ranked seventh in the Egyptian Premier League after five matches. However, their recent form is improving, highlighted by a notable 2-0 away win against Al Ahly.
Auckland City, a semi-professional team from New Zealand, faced tough competition at the Club World Cup in the USA, where they lost their first two games, conceding 16 goals to Bayern Munich and Benfica. The difference in quality was evident.
Despite the earlier losses, Auckland demonstrated their resilience by securing a 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors. They qualified for both the Club World Cup and the Intercontinental Cup by winning the OFC Champions League, having defeated Hekari United from Papua New Guinea 2-0 in the final.
Probable lineups
- Pyramids: El-Shenawy, Hamdi, Marei, Sami, Shibi, Blati, Atef, Everton, Reda, Magdi, Mayele
- Auckland City: Conor Tracey; Adam Mitchell, Niko Boxall, Nathan Lobo, Reghan Murati; Gerard Garriga, Dylan Manickum, Michael den Heijer, Mario Ilich; Myer Bevan, David Yu.
Match facts and head-to-head
- The teams have never faced each other before.
- Only two of Pyramids’ last five matches had more than two goals.
- The “Both teams to score” bet was successful in two of the last five games for the Egyptian side.
Prediction
Bookmakers see Pyramids as clear favorites, with odds for their win at 1.11. However, we believe Auckland can hold their ground, and we suggest betting on “Under 4.0 goals” at odds of 1.55.