Benfica vs Auckland City predictions: Dahl could turn creator
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- Samuel Dahl registered four assists in seven starts for Benfica last season
- Auckland City have lost their last six Club World Cup games by an aggregate score of 21-1
- Recommended bet: Samuel Dahl to register an assist
Auckland City are the only amateur team in this year’s Club World Cup and the class difference told in their opening game against Bayern Munich as they fell to a 10-0 defeat to the Bundesliga champions.
Things do not get any easier for the New Zealanders as they face Benfica in this second game. The Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw in their opener by Boca Juniors and will be looking to rack up the score here in a group in which goal difference could become crucial.
Team news
Auckland City are likely to field a similar lineup to the one which lost 10-0 to Bayern Munich, with a five-man defence the expected set up for the Navy Blues.
Andrea Belotti was sent off for Benfica in the first group game so will miss this through suspension. Orkun Kokcu and Kerem Akturkoglu were left out against Boca Juniors and it remains to be seen if they will return to the starting lineup.
Bruno Lage could choose to rest some of his starters with an important game against Bayern Munich on the horizon.
The stats
Goals look likely in this one, as four of Auckland City’s last five matches have produced over 3.5 goals. Meanwhile, both teams have scored in Benfica’s last five matches.
Auckland’s last ten games have all produced fewer than 4.5 cards, although Benfica’s last three matches have seen three red cards dished out.
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Prediction
Auckland City were terribly mismatched against Bayern Munich, losing 10-0, and it is hard to see them getting anything from this game against Benfica.
The Navy Blues had just one shot in their opening game and look likely to be dominated once again.
Auckland sat deep against Bayern, meaning that the Bavarian side's defenders were able to play high and get involved in the attacking action.
Two of Vincent Kompany’s defenders registered an assist in that game and it could be Samuel Dahl’s turn this time around.
The Swedish defender registered four assists in seven starts for Benfica following his transfer in February.
Expect Dahl to get plenty of the ball against Auckland and he could reward backers with an assist.
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