Saudi football fans will be glued to their screens on Sunday evening as Al-Hilal travels to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Abha to face Damac in a crucial match in the 13th round of the Saudi Professional League. This encounter is of paramount importance to the Riyadh-based club, who are aiming to secure all three points and claim the top spot in the standings.
The battle between the top and bottom of the Roshan League
This match comes at a crucial juncture in the league, with the competition fierce at both the top and bottom of the table. Al-Hilal enters the game knowing it presents a golden opportunity to break the tie or overtake their rivals, especially after league leaders Al-Nassr stumbled and lost to Al-Ahli, opening the door wide for "The Boss" to claim the top spot. Meanwhile, the match is no less important for Damac, who are battling to escape the relegation zone and improve their position in the standings.
History of confrontations and the language of numbers
Historically, the balance clearly favors Al-Hilal. The two teams have met 12 times in league competition, with Al-Hilal winning 7 matches, Damac managing only one victory, and 4 ending in a draw. In terms of goals, Al-Hilal's superiority is evident, having scored 23 goals against Damac, compared to 12 goals conceded by the "Knights of the South.".
Al-Hilal: Aiming for the top spot despite absences
Al-Hilal enters the match with 29 points, currently second in the standings, accumulated from nine wins and two draws. Despite significant absences, particularly Moroccan international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly, due to their international commitments with their national teams in the Africa Cup of Nations, the coach's squad is brimming with stars capable of compensating for these losses. The team is relying on its attacking arsenal and midfield stars such as Portuguese Ruben Neves, Serbian Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Brazilian Malcom, in addition to local stars Salem Al-Dawsari, Hassan Tambakti, and Mohamed Kanno, to secure a victory and overcome the challenge of Al-Kholoud, whom they narrowly defeated in the previous round.
Damac... the euphoria of the first victory and the weapon of the home ground
On the other hand, Damac enters the match with relatively high morale after tasting victory for the first time in the previous round, breaking a series of draws and defeats that had left the team in 14th place with only 9 points. The home side, led by a group of distinguished players such as Algerian captain Abdelkader Bedrane, Brazilian goalkeeper Kiwin Silva, and Moroccan Jamal Harkas, aims to capitalize on home advantage and the support of their fans in Abha to achieve a positive result against one of the strongest teams on the continent, whether by snatching a win or at least securing a draw.
