Football Bet of the Day: All smiles in Ismaila for forwards

Defences to creak

Al Masry v El Entag El Harby
Friday 25 June, 20:00

Chapecoense fell just short in Brazil last night, as they slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Internacional to end our winning streak. We'll swap the land of Pele for the land of pyramids now, because we're heading to Egypt to check our a first-division clash between high-flying Al Masry and strugglers El Entag El Harby.

Al Masry secured us a winner recently with a 2-1 success at Cleopatra Ceramica, and the league's second-placed team is usually good for a goal or two. 14 of their last 18 matches in league and cup have seen both teams find the net, and although only giants Zamalek currently have a better league record, Al Masry have the worst defensive record in the top three by quite some distance. Their record of 24 goals conceded is six worse than Zamalek and ten worse than third-placed Al Ahly.

El Entag El Harby are ten points adrift of safety, so the time for digging out draws is long past. They have won just two of their 24 league matches, but they usually go down swinging. Their last five league games have seen both teams score, and that's true of their last four away games as well.

Al Masry are fair favourites, but they have only won one of their last four home games, and in their last match at the Ismailia Stadium they needed a last-gasp equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw with Wadi Degla. I'm not keen on backing the home win at 1.625/8, but I will go for Both Teams To Score at 2.1411/10. The hosts have kept just four clean sheets in their last 15 league outings.