On Tuesday, June 24, New Zealand’s Auckland City will meet Boca Juniors of Argentina in a third-round group stage match at Geodis Park in Nashville. With Boca still in contention for the knockout stage and Auckland reeling from two heavy defeats, this fixture is expected to be one-sided—but not without betting value.
Match Preview
For Auckland City, simply participating in the FIFA Club World Cup is an achievement in itself. However, the tournament has proven a harsh reality check. They’ve suffered back-to-back blowouts: 0-10 to Bayern Munich and 0-6 to Benfica, managing just three shots on target across both matches. The team is clearly struggling to match the pace and quality at this level.
Despite the lopsided results, Auckland tends to stay somewhat disciplined. Historically, they’ve only once conceded more than six goals in a Club World Cup match prior to this year. But against a motivated Boca Juniors, another tough night seems inevitable—especially if the Argentinians go on the offensive early.
Boca, meanwhile, come into the final group match with one point from two games and a clear mission: win big. A draw with Benfica and a narrow loss to Bayern showed they can compete, but goal difference may be key to leapfrogging Benfica for second place in the group.
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Scoring hasn’t been an issue for Boca, who have netted in five of their last six matches, though defensive lapses remain a concern—they’ve conceded in all six of their recent Club World Cup games. That said, the real question here is how many Boca will score, not if they will.
Key Match Stats:
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Auckland City have been outscored 16-0 in two games.
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Boca have drawn 8 of their last 11 games in Club World Cup and Copa Libertadores action.
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Auckland are winless in their last 10 Club World Cup appearances.
Probable Lineups:
Auckland City: Conor Tracey; Adam Mitchell, Niko Boxall, Nathan Lobo, Reghan Murati; Gerard Garriga, Dylan Manickum, Michael Den Heijer, Mario Ilich; Myer Bevan, David Yu
Boca Juniors: Agustín Marchesín; Jorge Figal, Luis Advíncula, Ayrton Costa, Lautaro Blanco; Rodrigo Battaglia, Ander Herrera, Carlos Palacios, Kevin Zenón; Alan Velasco, Miguel Merentiel
Prediction & Betting Insight:
Expect Boca Juniors to dominate possession and the scoreline, while Auckland will hope to grab a consolation goal and avoid another rout. Given Boca’s need for a convincing win—but their tendency to ease off late—this likely won’t turn into a double-digit blowout.
Recommended Bet:
Total Goals Under 6.5 – Odds: 1.58
A solid value pick considering Auckland’s defensive shape and Boca’s controlled approach when leading.
