Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the FIFA Club World Cup match.
Porto and Al Ahly still have a theoretical chance of progressing to the knockout stages, though much hinges on the result of the concurrent fixture between Inter Miami CF and Palmeiras. Should that match end in a draw, both Porto and Al Ahly would be eliminated. Nevertheless, both teams are under pressure to secure a win—it is their only route to survival in the tournament.
Porto
Porto have taken just one point from their opening two matches, following a goalless draw with Palmeiras and a 1:2 loss to Inter Miami CF. Despite taking an early lead and recording a strong expected goals statistic of 1.65 in that second game, Porto faded in the latter stages against Inter Miami CF. However, the overall strength of their squad remains considerably higher than that of Al Ahly. Notably, their highly rated young talent Samu Aghehowa, valued at €50 million, has scored the team’s only goal of the tournament so far.
Al Ahly
Al Ahly sit at the bottom of the group, having failed to find the net in either of their matches and displaying serious shortcomings in attack. Against Inter Miami CF, the team posted an xG statistic of 1.98 but could not convert. In their clash against Palmeiras, Al Ahly struggled to create any real threat, finishing with just 0.29 xG. Defensively, they conceded twice to Palmeiras, despite allowing only one shot on target.
Porto vs Al Ahly Prediction
Porto must win this fixture to keep their qualification hopes alive. Even if the match between Inter Miami CF and Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras ends in a draw, rendering their efforts futile, they must focus on their own performance. Their superior squad quality should see them through.
