Magra vs MC Alger prediction 26.12.2024 | Ligue 1

• Competition: Ligue 1
• Date: Thursday, 26th December, 2024
• Kickoff: 14:00 UK / 15:00 CET
• Venue: Boucheligue Brothers Stadium (Magra)

Since arriving in the Algerian top-flight division in the 2019/20 season, NC Magra were constantly in the lower part of the league's table but managed to survive. This year, they are once again in survival mode, considering they are in 12th place with 15 points in 14 rounds - just three points away from the relegation zone and with one game played more.

Meanwhile, MC Alger won their sixth league title last year. This year, the reigning champs started the season great, but when the CAF Champions League started, their results declined in the domestic league. Right now, they are in fourth place with 18 points after 11 rounds. They are six points away from the top spot, but with two games played less. So, this game against the team from the lower part of the league's table is crucial for them to close the gap.

Magra vs MC Alger pick: Under 2.5 goals

Magra have been totally different team at home and away from it. So, even though we believe MC Alger to be a better team, we are reluctant to take a bet on them winning this match. At home, Magra won three out of the last four matches, but more importantly for our bet, they were under 2.5 goals on three occasions. They are generally not a team that scores a lot and have scored zero or one goal in four out of six home games.

MC Alger are one of the best teams in the league for this type of bet, with 82% of their games finishing with fewer than three games (9 out of 11). Additionally, in recent games, they really struggled to score and have failed to do so in four out of the last five matches. Still, their defense has been great, keeping a clean sheet in 12 out of 17 matches in all competitions. So, a struggling offense in recent games and excellent defense make them perfect for this type of bet.

Moreover, the last four h2h games at Boucheligue Brothers Stadium finished with fewer than three goals. Considering the previous h2h games and all the above, we strongly believe that an under 2.5 goals bet is the safest option for this match.