Al Sadd vs Al-Hilal Saudi FC — Tips & Analysis

Over 3.25: Al Sadd games are goal fests, and that is the heart of this pick. They have had 3 or more goals in 16 of their last 17 games, and their games average more than 5 goals in total. They score almost 3 goals a game and let in more than 2. Marcelo Brozovic and Guilherme Torres are both out, and their coach has publicly asked for fewer mistakes at the back before this one. Al Sadd also have no points yet, so keeping it quiet at 0-0 is no use to them. Al-Hilal arrive in excellent form. They have won 14 of their last 16 games and score more than 2 goals a game, and they have won nine of their last ten away games. Theo Hernandez and Salem Al-Dawsari are doubtful on three days' rest after a 3-2 league win over Al-Ittihad, so changes are likely. The history helps too. The last six meetings between these clubs averaged almost 5 goals, and the most recent of them was a 3-3. A 1-3 Al-Hilal win is our read, and four goals is comfortably on the right side of this one. The risk is Al-Hilal's defence. They let in under a goal a game, and even less than that away from home. If they strangle the game early, a 0-2 beats us. We are still taking the goals.