Saudi football fans will be glued to their screens tomorrow evening, Sunday, as Al-Riyadh hosts Al-Taawoun at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh in a highly anticipated match concluding the 16th round of the Saudi Professional League. This encounter is of paramount importance to both teams due to their contrasting ambitions and differing league positions, promising a thrilling and competitive match.
Al-Riyadh enters this match in a precarious position, suffering a sharp decline in results that has placed them in danger of relegation. The home side currently sits in 16th place with only 9 points, accumulated from two wins and three draws, while suffering nine defeats. This match represents a crucial test for the team, which has failed to secure a victory in its last eight consecutive rounds, managing only three points out of a possible 24 – a tally that threatens its survival in the top flight if the situation is not rectified quickly.
Meanwhile, Al-Taawoun arrives as a formidable opponent with one goal in mind: to return to winning ways. The "Sugar Boys of Qassim" are enjoying an exceptional season, currently sitting in third place with 31 points, competing with the top clubs for a spot in continental competitions. Al-Taawoun is eager to overcome the shock of their last match, when they lost second place in the dying seconds against Al-Ahli. A victory tomorrow is therefore crucial to regaining their footing and remaining in contention for a top-four finish.
The statistics and history point to a clear rivalry between the two teams in the Professional League, where they have met four times previously. Al-Riyadh holds the advantage, having won two matches, while Al-Taawoun secured one victory, and one match ended in a draw. In terms of goals, Al-Riyadh's attack has a slight edge, scoring five goals compared to Al-Taawoun's four. This statistic could provide a morale boost for the home team, despite the current disparity in their league positions.
On the technical side, Al-Riyadh's coach is relying on a squad of professionals to salvage the situation, led by experienced Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan, French defender Yoann Barbet, in addition to Iraqi Ibrahim Bayesh, Portuguese Tozé, Ivorian Ismaël Soro, Teddy Oko, and Spaniard Poirier. Meanwhile, Al-Taawoun enters the match armed with formidable attacking and defensive weapons, including Brazilians Gerotto and his compatriots Maëlson and Flavio, Dutch midfield maestro Achraf Al-Mahdawi, Colombian Roger Martínez, and Frenchman Angelo Fulvini, alongside influential local players such as Mohammed Al-Kwikbi and Waleed Al-Ahmad.
This match comes in the context of the great development witnessed by the Saudi League, where there are no longer any easy matches, and the teams competing for relegation are able to embarrass the leading teams, which puts pressure on both coaches to come out with the three points in this crucial round.
