AFC Champions League Elite: Gameeweek 8: 17/02 - 19/02
Will the likes of Al Nassr and Al Hilal sign off the AFC Champions League Elite League Phase with a win? Al Nassr will take on Persepolis away from home, while Al Hilal will also play against Al Wasl away.
Both Saudi giants are through to the next round of the competition, but they would rather want to seal this round with a win.
This week’s AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 gameweek 8 predictions were based on current form, data, and expert knowledge.
AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Round 8 Predictions: 17/02/2025-19/02/2025
Pakhator and Al Sadd will exchange goals: Pakhator vs Al Sadd
- Date: 17/02/2025
- Kick-off: 15:00
- Both teams find it effortlessly easy to find the back of the net, and they are likely to do the same in the upcoming game.
Pakhator and Al Sadd have played each other on a few occasions, and every time they crossed paths, they scored against each other. Both teams scored in their last four meetings in this competition, so it is only logical to anticipate the same from the upcoming meeting.
Pakhator vs Al Sadd prediction: Both teams to score - yes
Persepolis and Al Nassr to exchange goals: Persepolis vs AI-Nassr
- Date: 17/02/2025
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Persepolis and Al Nassr always struggle to dominate these meetings, but the visitors’ current form and squad are too good to overlook.
Persepolis need a win to advance to the next round of the competition, while Al Nassr
Persepolis vs Al-Nassr prediction: Away team to win
Al Ain to win in at least one half: AI-Shorta vs AI Ain
- Date: 17/02/2025
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Both Al-Shorta and Al Ain may have struggled this term, but the hosts’ poor attack may cause them problems in the upcoming game.
Al-Shorta scored only five goals in seven matches, and there’s nothing excellent to write about their defense, as they conceded 17 goals already. Al Ain may have an even worse defense, but their attack is twice as good as the hosts, and we expect them to outscore Al-Shorta in at least one half.
Al-Shorta vs Al Ain prediction: Away team to win either half - yes
Al-Ahli and Al-Gharafa to exchange goals: AI-Ahli Saudi vs AL-Gharafa
- Date: 17/02/2025
- Kick-off: 19:00
- Both teams are fond of exchanging goals when they cross paths, and they may repeat the same in the upcoming game.
Al-Ahli may have performed better in this competition, but they regularly find it difficult to prevent Al-Gharafa from getting on the scoreboard. Both teams scored in three of their last four AFC Champions League Elite matches, and we expect them to display their attacking points in the upcoming game.
Al-Ahli vs Al-Gharafa prediction: Both teams to score - yes
Kawasaki and Central Coast Mariners to delight fans with goals: Kawasaki vs Central Coast Mariners
- Date: 18/02/2025
- Kick-off: 11:00
- Goals are usually scored in matches involving these two teams, and the upcoming game may follow suit.
Kawasaki and Central Coast Mariners last met in this competition in 2009, and both encounters ended with three or more goals. The hosts have already scored 15 goals in this year’s AFC Champions League Elite campaign, while Central Coast’s defense has been abysmal, conceding 19 goals. So it is fair to expect three or more goals from the upcoming game.
Kawasaki vs Central Coast Mariners prediction: Over 2.5 goals
Gwangju and Buriram United will get on the scoreboard: Gwangju vs Buriram United
- Date: 18/02/2025
- Kick-off: 11:00
- Both teams may not have met in this competition, but their performances in this year’s campaign suggest they are expected to delight their fans with goals.
Gwangju scored 14 goals and conceded 10 goals in 7 AFC Champions League Elite matches, while Buriram Utd scored 5 goals and conceded 10 goals in 7 games. The hosts are in better form to win this game, but the visitors have the quality to find that consolation goal.
Gwangju vs Buriram United prediction: Both teams to score - yes
Johor Darul Ta’zim and Pohang Steelers will exchange goals: Johor Darul Ta’zim vs Pohang Steelers
- Date: 18/02/2025
- Kick-off: 13:00
- Both teams have crossed paths twice, and Pohang Steelers came out on top in both encounters. Both teams look even, and getting on the scoreboard shouldn’t be a huge mountain to climb.
Johor Darul Ta’zim and Pohang Steelers are expected to give their fans goals to celebrate, thanks to their performances in this year’s competition. The hosts scored 11 goals and conceded 7 goals in 7 matches, while the visitors scored 11 and conceded 14. The last two times both teams met in this competition, Pohang Steelers won in both legs, so it is fair to expect them to find the back of the net and fail to keep a clean sheet as visitors.
Johor Darul Ta’zim vs Pohang Steelers prediction: Both teams to score - yes
Vissel Kobe to avoid a defeat: Shanghai Shenhua vs Vissel Kobe
- Date: 18/02/2025
- Kick-off: 13:00
- Shanghai Shenhua need a win to qualify for the next round, but Vissel Kobe eye the top spot.
Both teams haven’t met in this competition, but Vissel Kobe are the favorites to win this match, thanks to their scintillating form in this year’s AFC Champions League Elite campaign. The visitors are pushing for a top-spot finish, while the hosts plan to make a miraculous qualification to the next round. Both teams have one aim in the upcoming game, making the encounter interesting. The visitors have more quality in their squad, so they can settle for a draw if they fail to get the win.
Shanghai Shenhua vs Vissel Kobe prediction: Away team to win or draw
Esteghlal to avoid a defeat: AI Rayyan vs Esteghlal F.C.
- Date: 18/02/2025
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Esteghlal may have underperformed in this year’s AFC Champions League Elite campaign, but they have a good record against this opponent.
Al Rayyan last won Esteghlal in this competition in 2014. That’s a very long time to model our prediction for the upcoming game. However, both teams met last in 2020, and Esteghlal won 5-0 away from home. They also beat Al Rayyan 2-0 at home in 2018 and held them to a goalless draw away in the return leg. We think Esteghlal can avoid a defeat in the upcoming game.
Al Rayyan vs Esteghlal prediction: Away team to win or draw
Al Hilal to continue their winning momentum: AI Wasl vs AI-Hilal
- Date: 18/02/2025
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Both teams may have not met in this competition, but Al-Hilal’s form suggests they are likely to continue their winning spree.
Al Wasl and Al-Hilal haven’t met in this competition, according to some reports, but both teams’ current form suggests the visitors are expected to come away with a commanding victory, having won six of their last seven AFC Champions League Elite matches.
Al Wasl vs Al-Hilal prediction: Away team to win
Two or more goals to be scored: Ulsan vs Shandong Taishan
- Date: 19/02/2025
- Kick-off: 11:00
- Both teams haven’t met before in this competition, but their poor defense suggests this encounter will produce at least two goals.
Ulsan and Shandong Taishan have struggled defensively, and the places both teams sit in the standings were a result of their horrid defense. The hosts conceded 16 goals in 7 matches, while the visitors conceded 14 goals in the same number of matches. They averaged over 1.5 goals per game in this competition, so we can anticipate two or more goals from the upcoming game.
Ulsan vs Shandong Taishan prediction: Over 1.5 goals
Shanghai Port and Yokohama FM to display their attacking mastery: Shanghai Port vs Yokohama FM
- Date: 19/02/2025
- Kick-off: 13:00
- Matches involving either team in this competition seldom produce at least three goals, and we think the upcoming game may follow suit.
Both teams met twice in 2020 in this competition, and one encounter ended with three goals. Both clubs averaged over 2.5 goals per AFC Champions League Elite match this year, and there’s a decent chance the upcoming game may end similarly, as the visitors are averaging over 2.5 goals scored per game.
