The Saudi Professional League resumes on Thursday evening after a month-long international break coinciding with the Saudi national team's participation in the Arab Cup. All eyes will be on Al Majma'ah Sports City Stadium, which will host a crucial match between Al Fayha and their guests Al Hazm , kicking off the eleventh round of the competition. Both sides will be vying for three points to improve their positions in the league standings.
History of Al-Fayha and Al-Hazm matches
Looking at the statistics and history, the two teams have met eight times previously in the Saudi Professional League, with Al-Fayha holding a slight edge. Al-Fayha has won four matches, while Al-Hazm has secured two victories, and two matches ended in a draw. In terms of goals, the attacking prowess is remarkably evenly matched, with Al-Fayha scoring 11 goals and Al-Hazm finding the net 10 times. This suggests a highly competitive and closely contested match.
A struggle in the middle of the standings and a fight to escape the bottom
This match takes on added importance given the teams' close positions in the standings. Al-Fayha currently sits in tenth place with 11 points, accumulated from three wins, two draws, and four losses. The home side enters the match determined to bounce back from their recent defeat against Al-Ettifaq, aiming to return to winning ways and reach 14 points, a feat that would propel them towards a more comfortable mid-table position, distancing them from the early relegation battle.
In contrast, Al-Hazm enters the match in twelfth place with nine points, having secured two wins, three draws, and four losses. The team is in high spirits after their thrilling victory in the Al-Rass derby against Al-Kholoud in the previous round. Al-Hazm hopes to capitalize on this momentum to achieve their second consecutive win, or at least secure a draw, to avoid slipping back into the relegation zone amidst the fierce competition in the league this season.
Key absences and winning cards
On the technical front, Al-Fayha faces a challenge in the absence of their Zambian star Fashion Sakala due to his commitment to his national team, which could affect the team's attacking effectiveness. However, the coach is relying on a squad of stars to compensate for this absence, led by Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, veteran English defender Chris Smalling who adds strength to the back line, as well as Spaniard Jason Remeseiro, the talented Algerian Yacine Benzia, Guinean Alfa Semedo, and Venezuelan Mikel Villanueva.
Al-Hazm enters the match armed with a formidable attacking arsenal, boasting prominent names such as Portuguese Fabio Martins and Algerian Amir Sayoud, a key playmaker, alongside Syrian all-time leading scorer Omar Al-Somah and Frenchman Laurent Rosier. While the team will be without South African Elias Mokoena due to his international duty, the presence of Cape Verdean goalkeeper Varela and Guinean Aboubacar Bah bolsters their chances of securing a positive result at Al-Majma'ah Stadium.
