Al Fayha vs Al Ittihad Preview, Prediction, Line-up
Saudi Pro League Game : Al Fayha vs Al Ittihad Preview | Date: September 29, 2023 | Time: 18:30 Hrs. | Location: Al Majma’a Sport City Stadium, Al Majma’ah, Saudi Arabia
Al Fayha FC نادي الفيحاء السعودي is going head to head with Al-Ittihad Saudi Arabian Club نادي الإتحاد العربي السعودي starting on 29th Sept 2023 at 18:30 Hrs . The match is a part of the Saudi Professional League.
Currently, Al Fayha rank 9th, while Al Ittihad hold 1st position on Saudi Pro League standing.
Al Fayha vs Al Ittihad: Preview
Al Fayha and Al Ittihad face a battle in round eight of the Saudi Professional League on Friday at the King Fahd International Stadium, fresh off securing their spots in the round of 16 of the King’s Cup.
The hosts will enter the weekend hoping to defeat the Tigers and win three straight games for the first time since December after losing each of the four encounters between the teams this year.
Tuesday’s King’s Cup match between Al Fayha and Al Riyadh featured a tenacious team performance from Al Fayha as they came from behind to defeat Al Riyadh 2-1. This was the second of two consecutive league and cup matches between the two teams.
At the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, it was a tale of two halves as 25-year-old striker Malek Al Abdulmonam scored twice in the first half to overturn Didier N’Dong’s goal in the 16th minute and change the course of the match.
Before that, on September 22, Vuk Rasovic’s team defeated Al Riyadh in the Professional League by a more comfortable score of 3-1 to end their record of six straight games without a victory in any competition.
Al Fayha currently returns home after two straight wins away. In their four games so far this season, they have only managed one win, lost once, and drawn twice.
The Al-Burtuqali are now ranked ninth in the table with nine points from their seven Professional League games this season, but with all three points this weekend, they might tie Al Wehda for seventh position.
At the Al Hazm Club Stadium on Tuesday, Al Ittihad narrowly advanced to the round of 16 of the King’s Cup by defeating a tenacious Al Kholood team on penalties.
Al Fayha vs Al Ittihad: H2H
With nothing separating the teams after 120 minutes, the game went to penalties, where the visitors prevailed 7-6. Al Kholood had fallen after Roberto Dias’ 18th-minute own goal, but Mariano Vazquez had equalized for them in the 40th.
With that outcome, Al Ittihad has now won each of its past three games and eight of its last nine overall, including a 3-0 triumph over AGMK in the AFC Champions League opening on September 18.
With 18 points out of a possible 21 in the Professional League, the Tigers have amassed an incredible run of performances that has propelled them one point ahead of Al-Hilal in second place and to the top of the standings.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s team will face a team that has lost all four of their previous encounters with them, including a 2-0 loss in the Saudi Super Cup final back in January, next.
Team News
Fashion Sakala is Al Fayha’s leading scorer so far this season with five goals in seven league games, and we anticipate the former Rangers player to continue to direct the attack.
Veteran forward Mohammed Majrashi should join him in the final third, and after a fine cup performance in midweek, Al Abdulmonam might get his first league start.
In terms of injuries, 24-year-old Nawwaf Al Harthi is a question mark for Rasovic’s team after leaving the game against Al Riyadh on Tuesday due to an injury.
Al Ittihad, however, will be without Egyptian defender Ahmed Hegazy, who has been sidelined since May due to a torn cruciate ligament.
Abdullah Al-Jadani, a custodian for the Tigers who is 32 years old, is listed alongside him on the injury report. Al-Jadani is still out with an ACL injury, which has kept him out of action for a while.
Al Fayha possible starting lineup:
Stojkovic; Al Baqawi, Khaibari, Al Rashidi, Konan; Ryller, Cimirot; Sabiri, Majrashi, Onyekuru; Sakala
Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:
Al-Mayouf; Shanqeeti, Felipe, Kadesh, Al-Olaitan, Bamasud; Kante, Fabinho; Romarinho; Al-Amri, Camara
Al Fayha vs Al Ittihad: Prediction
Al Ittihad, who have won their past four matches, will present a formidable task for Al Fayha, who will be trying to pick up where they left off in midweek. The team led by Espirito Santo has triumphed in eight straight-away games in all competitions, so we are picking them to win this one.