Benfica came back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors in their Group C opener. The expectations will be significantly higher for them when they face amateur side Auckland City, who suffered a staggering 10-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in their own opening match.
Benfica’s 2-2 draw marked the end of their first four-match stretch without a competitive victory (D3, L1) since April 2023. This disappointing form has cost them the Liga Portugal and Taça de Portugal titles to their rivals, Sporting CP.
Auckland City faced overwhelming challenges in their first match, and the scoreline was a testament to that, making them the first team to concede ten goals in a single Club World Cup (CWC) encounter.
Proudly representing the “99.9% of footballers who aren’t professional,” the current champions of the New Zealand National League will be hoping to improve as the tournament progresses, potentially even scoring a goal against the odds. The last time they found the back of the net in a CWC match was in 2016 against the Japanese team Kashima Antlers.
Head-to-Head History
Auckland City’s 10-0 defeat to Bayern Munich was their first competitive match against a European team, while Benfica has yet to face any Oceanian opposition.
Hot Stats and Streaks
• In Benfica’s last five matches, both teams have scored.
• The second half has been the highest-scoring half in just one of Benfica’s last six games.
• Auckland City has lost all six of their CWC matches since finishing third in 2014, with an aggregate score of 21-1.
• Only one of Auckland City’s last six games featured both teams scoring.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Andrea Belotti was shown a red card against Boca Juniors in the opening match and will be unavailable for this encounter. Neither team has reported any injuries following the first matchday.
Betting Analysis
With Benfica needing to focus on goal difference in case of a points tie in the race for the second spot, they must be cutthroat. Their recent mediocre performances and difficulties during the evening heat make an Auckland City +6.5 goal handicap an appealing option.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
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