On Thursday evening, all eyes in Saudi Arabia will be on Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, which will host the highly anticipated "Eastern Province Derby" between Al-Ettifaq and their guests Al-Fateh, as part of the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League. Both teams enter the match with the shared goal of returning to winning ways and overcoming the setbacks of the previous round, which saw them both suffer defeats against Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
Background of the confrontation and its importance in the context of the league
The Saudi Professional League (SPL) is gaining unprecedented global momentum this season thanks to attracting a host of international football stars, raising the level of competition and making every match crucial. In this context, Al-Ettifaq, under the guidance of English coach Steven Gerrard, is striving to secure a top-four finish and compete for a spot in Asian competitions. After two consecutive victories, the team suffered a predictable defeat against league leaders Al-Hilal, and the "Knights of Ad-Dahna" are eager to quickly return to winning ways to maintain their high position.
On the other hand, Al-Fateh, led by Croatian coach Slaven Bilic, is going through a difficult period, having failed to win any of their last seven league matches (4 draws and 3 losses). This string of negative results has seen the team slip down the league table, and they desperately need a victory to restore the players' confidence and stop the bleeding of points in order to move away from the relegation zone.
The history of encounters favors the model team
Historically, Al-Fateh holds the advantage in matches between the two teams in the Saudi Professional League. They have met 29 times previously, with Al-Fateh winning 13 matches, Al-Ettifaq winning only 8, and 8 matches ending in a draw. Al-Fateh's attack also boasts the upper hand, having scored 42 goals against Al-Ettifaq, compared to Al-Ettifaq's 25 goals.
The two teams' position in the standings
Al-Ettifaq enters the match in seventh place with 35 points, accumulated from 10 wins, 5 draws, and 6 losses. Al-Fateh, on the other hand, occupies tenth place with 24 points, earned from 6 wins, 6 draws, and 9 losses.
The biggest stars in the Eastern Derby
Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq boasts a constellation of international and local stars, led by Dutch captain Georginio Wijnaldum, French striker Moussa Dembélé, Spaniard Álvaro Medrán, and Scottish defender Jack Hendry. Slaven Bilić, on the other hand, relies on the experience of his distinguished foreign players, such as Moroccan striker Mourad Batna, Algerian Sofiane Bendebka, and Argentinian Matías Vargas, who form the team's attacking force. The match is expected to be highly competitive and exciting, given both teams' desire to secure the three points and achieve their respective goals in the league standings.
