Al-Ittihad's first football team is preparing for a crucial and decisive match when they host Al-Akhdoud this Monday evening at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, as part of the 18th round of the Saudi Professional League. This match comes at a very sensitive time for the "Dean" squad, who are striving to appease their fans and return to winning ways after a three-match winless streak that has seen them slip down the league table.
The two teams' positions in the standings
Al-Ittihad enters the match in sixth place in the league standings with 27 points, accumulated from eight wins and three draws, while suffering five defeats. In contrast, Al-Akhdoud finds itself in a precarious position, languishing in seventeenth place (second to last) with only nine points, putting it in serious danger of relegation. They have managed just two wins, three draws, and eleven losses, making this match a potential lifeline for the visitors.
History of head-to-head matches
Historically, Al-Ittihad holds a clear advantage in matches between the two teams in the Saudi Professional League. They have met five times previously, with Al-Ittihad winning four of those encounters, while one match ended in a draw. Al-Akhdoud has yet to secure a victory against Al-Ittihad in this competition. In terms of goals, Al-Ittihad's attack has scored 11 goals against Al-Akhdoud, while their defense has only conceded five – statistics that theoretically favor the home side.
Results crisis and the search for an Asian seat
Al-Ittihad has been experiencing a clear dip in form recently, stumbling in their last three matches with a draw against Damac and two painful defeats against Al-Ettifaq and Al-Qadisiyah. This decline has significantly distanced the team from direct competition for the league title this season. However, their ambition remains strong to fight for a top finish and qualify for Asian competitions next season, making a win today absolutely essential.
Star-studded squad and impactful absences
The technical staff of Al-Ittihad are relying on an arsenal of international and local stars to decide the match, led by French striker Karim Benzema, his compatriots Moussa Diaby and N'Golo Kante, in addition to Malian Mohamed Doumbia, Portuguese Roger Fernandes, Brazilian Fabinho, Algerian playmaker Houssem Aouar, and behind them the brilliant Serbian goalkeeper Rajkovic.
On the other side, Al-Akhdoud enters the match suffering from significant absences, most notably German star Khalid Nari due to injury, and Norwegian Tokmac Nguyen due to suspension. Despite the difficulty of the task after the recent loss to Al-Khaleej and the draw with Al-Riyadh, the team hopes to pull off an upset, led by Brazilian goalkeeper Samuel Lima, Colombian midfielder Juan Pedrosa, veteran Brazilian Petros, Argentinian Mateo Borrell, and Cameroonian Christian Bassogog.
