Desperate times are under way for champions Al Nassr as they seek to cling on in the Saudi Professional League’s title race.
A chaotic 3-2 defeat last Saturday at Al Faisaly, in which disciplined Moroccan hit man Abderrazak Hamdallah was absent and compatriot Nordin Amrabat benched, was allied with a sixth-successive win for leaders Al Hilal. This scenario has opened up an eight-point chasm, with the holders requiring a positive result in match-week 22’s visit of slowing Al Raed ahead of March 20’s pivotal Riyadh derby.
Elsewhere this round, third-bottom Al Fateh and bottom-placed Al Adalah meet in a fixture where defeat will spell doom. Here are three key clashes to keep an eye on:
AL NASSR V AL RAED (WEDNESDAY, 21:45)
Hamdallah taking centre stage at Nassr is nothing new.
Last week’s flare-up, however, garnered plentiful unwanted attention. Hamdallah took exemption to a fine for a late training return, with his intransigence seeing him omitted from the side that slumped to ruinous defeat – their first since November 24 in the top flight.
Chairman Safwan Al Suwaiket’s mediation between player and coach, Rui Vitoria, led to an apology – and how Nassr need everyone on the same page. Hilal have set a relentless pace that they must, belatedly, catch up to ahead of next week’s critical meeting.
Al Nassr’s defeat to Al Faisaly (EPA).
Al Aalami (The International) are bolstered by Raed’s recent stumbles. Besnik Hasi’s men have dropped 10 points from the last 15 available and now sit sixth.
They do need to source a replacement for suspended Brazilian defensive midfielder Petros. But if Hamdallah, 2019’s global top scorer with 57 goals, is back to his ruthless best, they should have far too much firepower regardless.
Prediction: Al Nassr 2-0 Al Raed
DAMAC V AL HILAL (WEDNESDAY, 17:10)
Can anyone stop Hilal?
This is the question that the 15 other SPL outfits will be asking themselves. The 2020 AFC Champions League winners’ domestic form is imperious and boast; 15 more goals than their nearest rival in Nassr (51/36), most wins (15), least losses (one), highest average ball possession (61.8 per cent) and most passes (11,424).
With the impact of the coronavirus postponing their Asian defence, there is also an absence of fortnightly distractions. Coach Razvan Lucescu is reported to have ominously informed his troops that there will be little rotation in the coming weeks and only his strongest XI will be selected.
Al Hilal training (Twitter/@Alhilal_FC).
Ettifaq, however, matched them in shape last Saturday and were Peru winger Andre Carrillo’s header away from claiming a point.
Damac appear unlikely to present a road block. Noureddine Zekri’s promoted charges are second bottom.
They have, however, won two of their last four SPL run-outs, held Nassr to a 1-1 draw in January and narrowly fell 3-2 to fourth-placed Al Wehda last weekend.
Prediction: Damac 0-3 Al Hilal
AL FATEH V AL ADALAH (THURSDAY, 19:30)
This could yet be the most-consequential mid-week fixture.
A ‘relegation six pointer’ at Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium will see Fateh’s resurgence be tested by flailing Adalah.
Defeat for the latter could leave them a virtually insurmountable 12 points from safety, with eight matches remaining. Victory for Nacif Beyaoui troops, though, would provide a necessary boost of hope that their debut top-flight campaign will not end in instant demotion.
Matias Aguirregaray (l) of Al Fateh (Twitter/@FatehClub).
Fateh are unbeaten in five matches, with youthful Belgian tactician Yannick Ferrera’s methods finally sinking in after October’s arrival. If they can chase down the likes of Al Hazem and even Al Ittihad, this will stand as a marker for the value of patience – the cash-rich SPL’s rarest commodity.
Prediction: Al Fateh 2-1 Al Adalah
