Al-Ahli vs Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr instrumentality to enactment successful the Saudi Pro League erstwhile they spell caput to caput astatine the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium connected Thursday evening.

Fresh from securing their archetypal AFC Champions League triumph of the campaign, some sides volition look to physique connected their beardown continental showing and this makes for an breathtaking matchup successful Jeddah.

Match preview

Al-Ahli got disconnected the people successful the AFC Champions League with a ascendant squad show connected Monday erstwhile they secured a 3-1 triumph implicit United Arab Emirates outfit Al-Wasl astatine the Zabeel Stadium.

Having kicked disconnected the run with a 1-1 stalemate with Pakhtakor connected September 14, Roger Ibanez, Francisco Trincao and Firas Al-Buraikan each deed the backmost of the nett to assistance the Royals unafraid their archetypal triumph connected the continental scene.

This was successful keeping with their upturn successful signifier successful the Saudi Pro League, wherever Al-Ahli hammered Al-Fateh 4-0 astatine the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium 3 days earlier to marque it 3 wins from 4 matches, having suffered consecutive defeats against Al-Kholood and Al-Hilal successful the 2 games preceding this run.

After 3 consecutive games connected the roadworthy crossed 3 antithetic competitions, including a 2-1 decision against South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns successful the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2nd circular connected September 19, location comfortableness awaits Marino Pusic’s men, who person won each of their past 16 league matches astatine the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium since a 1-1 stalemate against Al-Riyadh connected October 30.

Coming disconnected a third-placed decorativeness past season, Al-Ahli person picked up 5 wins from their 8 Pro League matches truthful acold to cod 15 points and beryllium sixth successful the league standings, but they could ascent into fourth-place with each 3 points connected Thursday.

While their AFC Champions League run kicked disconnected with a daze 4-0 decision astatine the hands of Al-Ain successful September’s curtain-raiser, Al-Nassr ensured the opening-day effect remained an objection arsenic they secured a 3-1 triumph implicit Uzbekistan outfit Neftchi Fergana successful matchday 2 connected Monday.

Angelo and Cristiano Ronaldo netted successful a nine-minute spell to enactment Al-Nassr successful the drivers’ spot astatine fractional time, and aft Alisher Odilov pulled 1 backmost for Neftchi Fergana successful the 51st minute, Anvar Gofurov scored a 78th-minute ain extremity to reconstruct the hosts' two-goal advantage.

Ange Postecoglou’s men person enjoyed a coagulated commencement to the run backmost home, picking up six wins and 1 gully from their 8 Pro League matches to cod 19 points and beryllium 3rd successful the league table, level connected points with second-placed Al-Qadsiah and 2 points down league leaders Al-Hilal.

However, results connected the roadworthy person taken a crook for the worse successful caller weeks, with the Knight of Najd failing to triumph their past 3 distant matches crossed each competitions, losing doubly and claiming 1 draw, having won their archetypal 3 matches this season.

Al-Nassr volition gully encouragement from their awesome grounds astatine the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, wherever they person won 5 of their past six visits and are unbeaten successful 9 of 10 games since February 2017, picking up 7 wins and 2 draws.

Al-Ahli Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Ahli signifier (all competitions):

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Zakaria Hawsawi has been sidelined since sustaining a cruciate ligament wounded during the planetary interruption and the Saudi planetary is retired of contention for Thursday’s tie.

Fellow countryman Saleh Abu Al-Shamat is besides a large uncertainty for Al-Ahli aft being stretchered disconnected injured midway done the crippled against Al-Wasl astatine the weekend.

With 11 goals successful the opening 8 games, Ivan Toney sits six goals wide astatine the apical of the league scoring chart, and the England planetary volition beryllium 1 to support an oculus connected Thursday.

Al-Nassr person their just stock of wounded concerns, with 32-year-old defender Sultan Al-Ghannam inactive sidelined since suffering a cruciate ligament teardrop backmost successful May.

He is joined connected the club’s wounded array by 23-year-old Salem Al-Najdi, who is acceptable to beryllium retired his 4th consecutive crippled aft coming disconnected injured against Abha successful September.

Al-Ahli imaginable starting lineup:

Sanbi; Baattia, Demiral, Bakor, Balobaid; Edoa, Aljohani; Trincao, Goncalves, Galeno; Toney

Al-Nassr imaginable starting lineup:

Bento; Aman, Martinez, Simakan, Boushal; Al-Khaibari, Costa, Coman; Felix, Mane, Ronaldo

We say: Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Nassr

With 34 goals successful their past 10 meetings, clashes betwixt Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr person often served up fireworks successful the past and different action-packed contention is connected the cards present arsenic some sides look to proceed from wherever they near disconnected connected the continental scene.

The Royals person been rock-solid astatine location this twelvemonth and this could marque for different pugnacious distant situation for Al-Nassr, but their superior prime crossed the transportation should spot Postecoglou’s broadside look victorious here, albeit by the unusual goal.

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