On Monday, September 15, the AFC Champions League will see Al-Sharjah take on Al-Gharafa. The match starts at 15:45 CET, and here’s a betting tip for the game.
Al-Sharjah vs Al-Gharafa: Match preview
Al-Sharjah, representing the United Arab Emirates, finished second in their league last season with 51 points in 26 matches, trailing the leaders by 12 points. Their new season in the UAE League has begun with a 3-1 win, a 0-1 loss, and a 2-2 draw in their latest match. They have also progressed to the quarter-finals of the League Cup after not competing in last season’s AFC Champions League.
Al-Gharafa competes in the Qatari league and qualified for the AFC Champions League last season. However, their performance was poor, finishing tenth with just seven points from eight matches and missing the playoffs. This season, Al-Gharafa started strong with three wins out of four matches, suffering only one defeat. They played to a 3-3 draw in their Super Cup opener.
Match facts and head-to-head history
- Al-Sharjah is unbeaten in their last three matches, with two wins and a draw.
- In their last ten games, Al-Sharjah has lost only once, while Al-Gharafa has just one defeat in their last nine matches.
- Al-Sharjah has scored in each of their last three games.
- In their only prior meeting, Al-Sharjah won 3-2 against Al-Gharafa.
Probable line-ups
- Al-Sharjah: Al Hosani, Marcus Meloni, Cho, Petrovic, Ebrahim, Abdulrahman, Ben Larbi, Hassan, Caio, Camara, Luanzinho
- Al-Gharafa: Sergio Rico, Yousif, Hamed, Nani, Gunnarsson, Diaz, Hamed, Rodrigo, Brahimi, Joselu, Boli
Prediction
Al-Sharjah will be eager to begin their AFC Champions League campaign with a win at home. Meanwhile, Al-Gharafa also seeks a strong start, but the advantage seems to lie with the hosts. My prediction is a win for Al-Sharjah.