Hong Kong vs Iran Prediction: The Princes Of Persia Will Bestow Upon Themselves A Regal And Opulent Reward

In the Group C fixture, Hong Kong will welcome Iran to the Khalifa International Stadium in the second round of the AFC Asian Cup.

Hong Kong enters this match with a dire need for victory to keep their dreams of progressing to the knockout rounds alive. A second consecutive defeat would spell the end of such aspirations.

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

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

Hong Kong

Form: 105th

Hong Kong made their first appearance in the AFC Asian Cup since the 1968 edition on a somber note as they were defeated 3-1 by the United Arab Emirates, one of the two sides heavily favored to occupy the top two spots in Group C.

Ranked 150th in the FIFA Rankings, Hong Kong is heavily favored to face elimination in Group C, where securing qualification to the knockout rounds seems like a distant possibility. Coming into this match, The Dragons are currently on a three-match losing streak across all competitions and have secured victory in just one of their last seven matches (L5 D1), so little can be expected from them in this one.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-3-3

Fai; Nam, Gerbig, Hoi, Chan; Ming, Wai, Kwan; Camargo, Orr, Udebuluzor

Iran

FIFA Ranking: 21st

Iran, on the other hand, justified their role as favorites at the Education City Stadium by defeating Palestine 4-1 in their AFC Asian Cup group stage opener. They are perched atop Group C with three points to their name and are level on points with the United Arab Emirates in second place.

The Princes of Persia have been outstanding in their matches, and Amir Ghalenoei has had no complaints about his team's performance. They are currently unbeaten in fourteen matches, securing twelve wins and two draws. It's also worth noting that they are riding on the back of a three-match winning streak across all competitions, with two of those wins coming from a friendly match and one being in the current Asian Cup.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Beiranvand; Hosseini, Kanaanizadegan, Khalilzadeh, Hajsafi; Cheshmi, Ebrahimi; Jahanbakhsh, Taremi, Ghayedi; Ansarifard

Match Facts

• Hong Kong has conceded a goal in their last seven consecutive matches across all competitions.
• Iran is currently on a three-match winning streak across all competitions.
• Hong Kong averages 2.1 goals per game when playing at home, and Iran averages 3 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the last six meetings, Hong Kong has won 0 times, Iran has won six times, and there have been 0 draws, with the goal difference being 16-1 in favor of Iran.

Expert Betting Tips

With this being their toughest group fixture, Hong Kong knows that their chances of success in this one appear slim, and little can be expected from them. Iran, on the other hand, can boast of their superior status in this particular fixture, where they've yet to suffer defeat in their last six meetings.

As such, we don't expect to see the away side suffering defeat in this one, which has us backing them in the -2.5 handicap that should surface.

• Handicap 2 (-2.5) for 1.76
• Total - Over 3.5 for 1.90
• Correct Score - Hong Kong 0:4 Iran for 6.50