Iran vs Palestine Prediction: Asian Powerhouse Have Enough Quality And Experience To Tame The Lions Of Canaan

Iran will welcome Palestine to the Education City Stadium in the first round of the AFC Asian Cup.

The Asian powerhouse, Iran, is currently enjoying an impressive streak of thirteen unbeaten matches. Now, facing a team they haven't lost to in their last three encounters, securing two wins and a draw, it's evident they are eager to further extend their dominance over their upcoming opponents in this imminent clash.

Let's have a look at the latest AFC Asian Cup predictions between Iran vs. Palestine, probable lineups, match facts and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

Iran

FIFA Ranking: 21st

Before embarking on their AFC Asian Cup responsibilities, Iran had to engage in a warm-up match against Indonesia at the Al Rayyan Training Ground. In that match, Team Melli justified their role as favorites by securing a commanding 5-0 triumph, which witnessed Mehdi Ghayedi bag a brace, bringing his tally of goals for the national team to three.

In the previous edition of the AFC Asian Cup, Team Melli topped Group D with seven points level with second-placed Iraq due to a better goal differential; however, their luck ran out in the knockout stages after comfortably cruising past Oman (2-0) in the round of 16 and China in the quarter-finals (3-0) before being thrashed by Japan in the semi-finals (3-0).

Iran, not one to be regarded as a dark horse in this competition, shares the position of the second-best team in the AFC Asian Cup, boasting three titles alongside Saudi Arabia. Their last championship victory dates back to 1976, but since then, they haven't advanced to any finals.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-5-1

Hosseini; Rezeaian, Pouraliganji, Hosseini, Mohammadi; Gholizadeh, Nourollahi, Ezatollahi, Hajsafi, Azmoun; Taremi

Palestine

FIFA Ranking: 99th

Palestine, on the other hand, performed admirably in their warm-up match against Saudi Arabia, holding the Green Falcons to a goalless draw. This comes after a 1-0 defeat to Uzbekistan at the Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium. This has resulted in them being winless in 2024, creating a less-than-ideal record as they prepare for the AFC Asian Cup.

The Lions of Canaan will be making their third appearance in the AFC Asian Cup after finishing third in Group B with 2 points to their name in the previous edition. Their first ever appearance in this competition was in 2015 after winning the AFC Challenge Cup in 2014, although it was a nightmarish debut for Palestine, who lost all three of their matches to finish bottom of the group. This time, their objective is to achieve a superior outcome despite facing off-field challenges.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-4-2

Naim; Warda, Battat, Mayor, Jondi; Batran, Issa, Rashid, Hassan; Dabbagh, Zaid

Match Facts

• Iran are currently on a thirteen-match unbeaten run.
• Palestine have lost five of their last eight matches.
• Iran averages 3.1 goals per game when playing at home, and Palestine averages 0.7 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the most recent three encounters, Iran emerged victorious two times and shared one draw, while Palestine has yet to secure a triumph. The goal difference favors Iran at 11-1.

Expert Betting Tips

Iran clearly holds the upper hand in this matchup, without a shadow of a doubt. With an impressive thirteen-match unbeaten streak leading into this encounter, they are well-positioned to clinch their first group stage victory in the AFC Asian Cup. The opposing team in this fixture is unlikely to pose a significant threat given their poor run of form.

Therefore, we expect the Asian powerhouse to secure a commanding win at the Education City Stadium combined with a total of over 2.5 goals, as this has been the case in six of their last seven matches.

• Iran & Over 2.5 for 1.80
• Correct Score - Iran 4:0 Palestine for 8
• Anytime Goalscorer - Mehdi Taremi for 2.20