El Dakhleya vs Tersana - Second League

Few would have predicted the narrative arc that brings El Dakhleya and Tersana together at the home ground on September 17, 2026, and the underdog storyline only adds to the Second League occasion. He experienced victory in his only Old Firm appearance as a Gers player, but Sunday will be his first taste of the fixture in the dugout.

The standings add context to the occasion — El Dakhleya occupying 16th, Tersana perched in 10th — and the gap between them shapes the narrative. The hosts have found wins hard to come by, LDDD across their last five telling the story of a win rate of 0%. Tersana have struggled to string results together away from home, D over their last five with a win rate of 25%. Where El Dakhleya have leaned on defensive discipline, Tersana have often taken the initiative going forward, and that stylistic difference should shape the contest. Tim Sherwood makes his predictions for the new Premier League season, including who he thinks will make the top four in the table.

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. El Dakhleya will look to impose their style on home soil, while Tersana are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. They were slightly found out against Amorim's Milan in pre-season, with the press not quite sharp enough - the fourth goal, in particular, came from just one ball over a high-lined defence.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. The wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. Manchester United's talented defender Godwill Kukonki is back in training and is not set to leave the club on a permanent transfer in the summer window.

Without the market to lean on, the contest feels genuinely open — and the outcome may come down to which side handles the occasion better. Given the balance of the numbers, Tersana look capable of springing a surprise on the road — a 0-1 away victory is a distinct possibility. The result at the home ground could resonate well beyond matchday in the Second League picture. It is understood that his next move is most likely to take him abroad - and potentially to the Premier League.