On Friday night, Tala'ea El-Gaish and Smouha clash in an Egyptian Premier League game that could be vital in the race for the CAF Champions League spots, with both teams just outside the all-important top-three in the table.
The club from the Egyptian capital currently lies in sixth place in the table, five points adrift of the CAF Champions League spots. Tarek El Ashri’s team is unbeaten in their last 13 matches in the Egyptian top flight.
That recent stellar league run includes four wins in their previous five league outings.
One of the critical factors in their excellent recent league form has been some solid defensive displays in recent league matches, as they have kept clean sheets in six of their last seven Premier League outings.
That defensive record has contributed to under 2.5 goals scored in El-Gaish’s last 15 league matches.
El-Gaish has a solid recent home record in the Egyptian Premier League, as they are unbeaten in seven league matches on home soil, having recorded five wins in the process.
The visitors are just two points outside the Champions League spots, although third-place Al Ahly has played five fewer games than the team from Alexandria.
Abdelhamed Basyouny’s side is four games unbeaten in the Egyptian Premier League, although they have drawn their last two league matches. Despite their recent unbeaten league run, Smouha has won just two of their previous six games in the league and must find some form of consistency if they are to clinch one of those CAF Champions League spots.
Smouha are unbeaten in three away games but have found away wins hard to come by of late in the Egyptian top-flight, winning just one of their last seven league matches on their travels.
There is very little between these two teams in terms of league position. Therefore, it is not majorly surprising that Forebet predicts that this clash will produce a low-scoring draw.