Saudi football fans will be glued to their screens this Saturday evening as Al-Ahli's first team travels to Prince Hathloul bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Najran to face Al-Akhdoud in the final match of the 14th round of the Saudi Professional League. This match is of paramount importance to both teams, given their contrasting ambitions and league positions, promising a fiery encounter where a draw is not an option.
The struggle between the top and the bottom, and the challenges of absences
Al-Ahli enters the match riding high on a string of positive results, most notably their valuable victory in the "Clásico" against Al-Nassr, preceded by a win against Al-Fayha, which solidified their fourth-place position with 25 points. The club aims to maintain this momentum to put pressure on the leading clubs and remain in the fierce title race, especially given the significant development of the Saudi league and the intense competition among the top four teams.
Despite high morale, Al-Ahli faces a technical challenge in the absence of key players. The team will be without the services of the African trio Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessié, and Édouard Mendy due to their national team commitments at the Africa Cup of Nations, in addition to the suspension of Ali Majrashi. However, Al-Ahli's bench strength and the presence of international players in the squad, such as English striker Ivan Tony, Turkish midfielder Merih Demiral, Brazilian midfielder Roger Ibañez, and French midfielder Enzo Millot, give the team the ability to compensate for these absences and attempt to return with three points from Najran.
Al-Akhdoud: The lifeline and the new coach
On the other hand, Al-Akhdoud is in a precarious position, sitting in 17th place (second to last) with only 5 points, putting them in serious danger of relegation. This difficult situation prompted the club's management to make the decisive decision to dismiss Portuguese coach Paulo Sergio and bring in Romanian expert Marius Sumudica. Al-Akhdoud fans are pinning their hopes on Sumudica's extensive experience in Saudi football, having previously coached Al-Shabab and Al-Raed, hoping he can turn things around and lift the team out of its slump.
Despite the absence of German star Khalid Nari and Cameroonian Christian Bassogog, Al-Akhdoud possesses weapons that could surprise the visitors, such as Brazilian goalkeeper Samuel Lima, Petros, and Slovenian striker Blaz Kramer.
History of confrontations: Al-Akhdoud has a relative advantage
Historically, matches between the two teams have a special character, having met four times previously in the Professional League. The statistics show Al-Akhdoud holding the advantage with two wins compared to Al-Ahli's single victory, with one match ending in a draw. Al-Akhdoud's attack also boasts a superior record, having scored six goals against Al-Ahli, while Al-Ahli has managed five. These figures add to the excitement of the upcoming match, as Al-Ahli seeks to break this streak and even the score, while Al-Akhdoud aims to reaffirm its historical dominance and capitalize on home advantage.
