Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the FIFA Club World Cup match.
The second round of Group C will be pivotal for Benfica as they chase a spot in the knockout round. After a 2:2 draw with Boca Juniors, it's essential for the team to not only take all three points but to do so with as wide a margin as possible. Given Auckland City Football Club’s 0:10 defeat to Bayern Munich, goal difference could well be the deciding factor.
Benfica
Benfica are in a strong position to secure a comfortable result. The team showed character against the Argentine side, rallying from two goals down. They have also scored in 10 of their last 11 international matches. The attacking unit includes several influential players, with Ángel Di María, Vangelis Pavlidis and Kerem Aktürkoğlu regularly generating opportunities. It's worth mentioning that the last time Benfica recorded an eight-goal win was in 2019, in a friendly against Académica de Coimbra (8:0).
Auckland City FC
There is little to dissect in Auckland City Football Club’s performance against Bayern Munich — a 0:10 defeat tells its own story. The team posed minimal attacking threat and rarely moved beyond the halfway line. They have now lost seven straight matches in the Club World Cup, failing to score in their last five. The squad is made up of amateur players. That said, such a heavy defeat was unprecedented in their history, and a repeat seems unlikely. Furthermore, Bayern Munich are on a different level compared to Benfica.
Benfica vs Auckland City FC Prediction
Benfica are likely to push for a commanding lead before half-time, aiming to capitalise before the opposition settle defensively. However, winning by more than seven goals remains a stretch.
