Benfica staged a valiant comeback from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors in their opening Group C match. Anticipation will swirl around their upcoming clash with amateur team Auckland City, who faced a staggering 10-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in their initial outing.
Benfica’s draw marked their first four competitive matches without a win (D3, L1) since April 2023, and their lack of form has led to them losing both the Liga Portugal and Taça de Portugal titles to Sporting CP.
Auckland City encountered a challenging debut and made history by being the first team to concede ten goals in a single match at the Club World Cup (CWC).
Representing the vast majority of footballers who aren’t professional, the reigning champions of the New Zealand National League hope to find their footing in the tournament and possibly score against the odds. Their last goal in the CWC dates back to 2016, during a match against Japanese side Kashima Antlers.
Head-to-Head History
Auckland City’s 10-0 defeat to Bayern Munich marked their inaugural competitive encounter with a European team, while Benfica have yet to face any club from Oceania.
Hot Stats and Streaks
• In Benfica’s last five matches, both teams have scored.
• Only one of Benfica’s last six matches had a higher score in the second half.
• Auckland City has lost all six of their CWC matches since finishing third in 2014, accumulating a total of 21 goals conceded and just one scored.
• Just one of Auckland City’s last six matches featured both teams scoring.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Andrea Belotti received a red card in the match against Boca Juniors and will miss this game. No injuries have been reported for either team after the first matchday.
Betting Analysis
Now that Benfica need to enhance their goal difference to secure a favourable position in the race for second place, they’ll need to be relentless. Given their recent lacklustre performances and difficulties in the evening heat, an Auckland City +6.5 goal handicap might prove appealing.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
