Preview: Al Fayha vs. Al Ittihad - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh disconnected the backmost of claiming contrasting results successful the King's Cup, Al Fayha and Al Ittihad instrumentality to enactment successful the Professional League erstwhile they spell head-to-head connected Saturday.

Nadi Al-Sha'ab, who travel to the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium unbeaten successful each of their past 7 games against the location side, volition beryllium looking to widen this coagulated tally and unfastened up a five-point pb astatine the apical of the table.

Match preview

© Imago

Al Fayha were denied a imagination commencement to the caller twelvemonth arsenic they suffered a quarter-final exit from the King's Cup courtesy of a 2-1 decision against Al-Shabab astatine the Al Shabab FC Stadium past Monday.  

Early strikes from Daniel Podence and Abderrazak Hamdallah enactment Al-Shabab successful a comfy two-goal pb heading into fractional time, and aft Mokher Al-Rashidi halved the shortage successful the 88th minute, the location broadside kept their chill to spot disconnected a precocious comeback scare and publication their spot successful the semi-finals.

Before that, Al Fayha were a tally of 2 back-to-back affable victories, seeing disconnected Kuwait outfit Al-Salmiya 2-1 connected December 19 earlier wrapping up their docket for 2024 with a 1-0 triumph implicit Al-Wehda courtesy of a first-half extremity from Zambian planetary Fashion Sakala.

Monday's cupful decision was successful keeping with their struggles successful the Professional League, wherever Pedro Emanuel's men person failed to triumph immoderate of their astir caller 8 games, losing 4 and claiming 4 draws since the commencement of October.

Al Fayha person managed conscionable 1 league triumph this season, which came connected September 29, erstwhile they saw disconnected Al-Riyadh 2-0 connected location turf acknowledgment to goals from Sakala and 30-year-old Renzo Lopez.

Having secured a ninth-placed decorativeness past season, the Mills of Sudair person endured turbulent run truthful acold arsenic they beryllium bottommost but 1 successful the league standings with 8 points from 13 games, conscionable 2 points supra last-placed Al-Fateh.

Elsewhere, Al Ittihad had to excavation heavy successful their King's Cup semi-final clash against Al-Hilal connected Tuesday arsenic they defeated the Blue Waves connected penalties aft a 2-2 stalemate successful 120 minutes astatine Kingdom Arena.

Two goals from Karim Benzema, including a 114th-minute equaliser, helped Nadi Al-Sha'ab instrumentality the crippled to penalties aft Salem Al-Dawsari and Marcos Leonardo scored to enactment Al-Hilal 1 up, earlier they secured a 3-1 triumph successful the shootout.

With that result, Al Ittihad person present won each of their past 12 matches crossed each competitions, scoring 28 goals and keeping 7 cleanable sheets since a 3-1 decision against Al-Hilal successful their league clash connected September 21.

Nine of those 12 victories person travel successful the Professional League, wherever Laurent Blanc's men person picked up an awesome 36 points from a imaginable 39 to beryllium apical of the table, conscionable 2 points supra Al-Hilal successful second-place.

Al Ittihad volition beryllium backing themselves to support the juggernaut rolling this play arsenic they spell up against an opposing broadside whom they are unbeaten against successful each of the past 7 meetings betwixt the teams, claiming six wins and 1 gully since a 1-0 nonaccomplishment successful April 2022.

Al Fayha Saudi Pro League form:

Al Fayha signifier (all competitions):

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Hilal signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Al-Fayha stay without the services of Nigerian attacker Henry Onyekuru, who continues his agelong roadworthy to afloat fittingness aft picking up a terrible wounded successful the crippled against Al-Okhdood past April.

Rakan Kaabi was forced disconnected injured midway done the archetypal fractional against Al-Shabab past clip retired and the 22-year-old midfielder is simply a uncertainty for this weekend's matchup, meaning Mansour Al Bishi volition propulsion for his 4th commencement successful the league.

Meanwhile, Al Ittihad volition beryllium without Ahmed Sharahili, who continues his lengthy spell connected the sidelines aft suffering a cruciate ligament teardrop backmost successful August.

Abdulelah Al-Amri has missed each of the past 2 matches since sustaining a musculus wounded against Al-Nassr successful December and the 27-year-old defender is besides retired of contention for the visitors.

Moussa Diaby is acceptable to beryllium retired his 5th consecutive crippled portion 31-year-old guardant Saleh Al-Shehri is simply a uncertainty aft missing the midweek cupful necktie against Al-Hilal done a musculus injury.

With his brace connected Tuesday, Benzema present has 15 extremity contributions successful 12 matches crossed each competitions this play and the 37-year-old volition surely beryllium 1 to support an oculus on.

Al Fayha imaginable starting lineup:
Mosquera; Faris, Smalling, Khaibary, Baqawi; Al Bishi, Shukurov; Harthi, Pozuelo, Al-Kaabi; Sakala

Al Ittihad imaginable starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Kadesh, Pereira, Al-Mousa; Mitaj, Fabinho, Kante, Shanqeeti; Aouar; Bergwijn, Benzema

We say: Al Fayha 0-3 Al Ittihad

Al Fayha and Al Ittihad person had a contrasting run truthful far, with the Mills of Sudair languishing astatine the incorrect extremity of the array aft 13 matches. Blanc's men are presently firing connected each cylinders, and fixed the gulf successful prime and extent betwixt the 2 teams, we are backing them to travel distant with a comfy victory.

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