Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Abhavs.Al Ittihad

sportsmole.co.uk, 1 May 2024, 20:55
Two sides at opposite ends of the Saudi Arabia Professional League go head to head on Friday as Abha play host to Al Ittihad at the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.

While the Leaders of the South will be looking to avoid a run of three straight defeats and move out of the relegation zone, the visitors will also be looking to avoid back-to-back losses and climb further up the table.

Match preview

Abha's relegation worries deepened after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Al-Okhdood at Prince Hathloul Sports City last Saturday.

This result extends their winless run to 15 matches in all competitions since November - losing 12 and drawing three and this dismal form has left them in the drop zone.

April was a particularly torrid month for Abha. Their only victory came against Al-Fateh (2-1), while they suffered heavy defeats to Al-Nassr (8-0), Al-Shabab (5-0), and Al-Okhdood (4-0). Worryingly, they have not scored in their last two matches.

Pitso Mosimane's side sit second-bottom in the Pro League standings with 25 points from 29 matches, just two points behind 15th-placed Al-Okhdood, who are precariously above the relegation zone.

Next up for Abha is a daunting task against Al-Ittihad, who have dominated their recent meetings, winning the last six encounters.

However, Abha can take solace in their decent home form, as they boast the sixth-highest points tally at home this season, collecting 23 points at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.

Al-Ittihad's season took a turn for the worse after a cup disappointment, as Saudi giants Al-Hilal defeated them 2-1 in the King Cup of Champions semi-final, dashing their hopes of silverware.

This setback was compounded by a 3-1 defeat to Al-Shabab in the Pro League last Friday. Marcelo Gallardo's men have picked up just four points from their last four league matches and currently sit in fifth place, two points behind third-placed Al-Ahli (who have a game in hand).

Despite their recent struggles, Al-Ittihad boast a strong record against Abha. They have won five and lost just one of their last six meetings on the road.

However, their away form has been inconsistent recently, losing twice in their last four away matches - the same number of defeats they suffered in the first 12 away games of the season.

Abha Saudi Pro League form:

W

D

L

W

L

L

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

W

W

L

D

W

L

Team News

The hosts will be without Marcel Tisserand and Zakaria Al-Sudani who are both nursing muscle injuries.

Abha's top scorer in the league is defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak with eight goals and he is expected to be deployed in attack once again alongside Hassan Al-Ali.

For the visitors, Abdullah Al-Jadani, Ahmed Bamsaud, and Ahmed Mohammed Sharahili are out with cruciate ligament injuries and will return at different dates.

Fabinho, Karim Benzema, Luiz Felipe, Sultan Al Farhan, and Zakaria Al Hawsawi are all doubtful due to muscle injuries or unspecified ailments.

Abha possible starting lineup:

Tatarusanu; Al-Zubaidi, Noguera, Al Sahafi, Al-Jumayah; Mutairi, Bguir, Matic, Kamano; Al-Ali, Krychowiak

Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Al Muaiouf; Kadesh, Hegazy, Al-Mousa, Al Yami; F. Al-Ghamdi, Kante, Nashri; A. Al-Ghamdi, Hamadallah, Al-Sahafi

We say: Abha 1-2 Al Ittihad

Previews by email

Top News

14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Locked together at the top of League C Group 1 with two games to play, Sweden and Slovakia will battle it out to take the outright lead when they meet on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal will reportedly allow out-of-favour defender Jakub Kiwior to leave the club on loan in January. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wales travel to the Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri to face Turkey in their penultimate League B Group 4 fixture in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Pablo Torre has not ruled out the possibility of leaving the club in January, after seeing his game time reduced recently. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to narrow their gap to the top two in the League One table with a third consecutive victory, Barnsley will visit the Abbey Stadium to take on Cambridge United on Saturday. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Alexander Isak has delivered a fresh update on his future at Newcastle United, amid reported interest from a number of clubs including Arsenal. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Roma have confirmed the appointment of 73-year-old Claudio Ranieri as their new first-team manager until the end of the season. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has revealed that he was "desperate" to join Chelsea in 2022. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal could rival Manchester City and Liverpool for the signature of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly weighing up whether to make a move for in-form PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As exquisite as Pedro Neto's equaliser was, the Portuguese's 20-yard leveller for Chelsea in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Arsenal was arguably more to do with the Gunners' uncharacteristic defensive failings. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly made a decision over whether they will pursue a move for Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Estevao Willian has revealed that he will continue with his education even after completing a big-money transfer to Chelsea. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City are reportedly going to give Real Sociedad "a long and hard winter" in their pursuit of midfielder Martin Zubimendi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Embroiled in a fight against relegation to the UEFA Nations League's lowest level, Azerbaijan and Estonia will clash in Qabala on Saturday afternoon. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England captain Harry Kane has reportedly emerged as a late doubt for Thursday's UEFA Nations League meeting with Greece due to a knock. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is expected to be given the all-clear for Saturday's all-important UEFA Nations League clash with Hungary in Amsterdam. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Locked together on five points in League A Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League, the Netherlands and Hungary meet on Saturday in a winner-takes-all clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both vying for promotion to the UEFA Nations League's top tier, Albania and League B Group 1 leaders Czech Republic will lock horns on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona sporting director Deco has insisted that his club are not currently looking to bring in a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, with the striker in excellent form for the Catalan giants this season. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega will be eyeing a debut for the Germany national team in Saturday's UEFA Nations League clash with Bosnia-Herzegovina in League A Group 3. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona sporting director Deco is confident that the club will be able to sign Pedri to a new long-term contract. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Needing just a point to all but guarantee a first-placed finish in League A Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League, Germany welcome Bosnia-Herzegovina to the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg on Saturday. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Christian Eriksen has revealed that he is 'yet to hear anything' from Manchester United over his future. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As closely contested League B Group 1 nears its conclusion, promotion - and relegation - rivals Georgia and Ukraine will meet in Batumi on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly considering making a move for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Martin Baturina during the January transfer window. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Kazakhstan vs. Austria (Thursday, 3.00pm) Amid a three-way battle for promotion from League B Group 3, Austria aim to improve their prospects with a win on Thursday, when they meet Kazakhstan in the UEFA Nations League. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Athletico Paranaense can temporarily climb out of the Brasileiro Serie A relegation zone with a victory over Atletico Mineiro on Saturday at Arena de Baixada.