Al-Ahli go dey host Al Fateh for King Abdullah Sports City for Jeddah on Wednesday evening for Saudi Pro League, and di match get plenty plenty tins for play.
Di hosts dey come into dis fixture with high spirits, as dem don already win AFC Champions League title dis season. Dem sit third for di table with 69 points from 21 wins, six draws, and three defeats. Even though di title race dey tough, dem still dey mathematically in contention.
Al-Ahli don score 59 goals and only concede 22 across di campaign. For dia last league outing, dem bin beat Al Akhdoud 4-0, with Frank Jessie scoring two goals, and Valentin Atangana and Feras Albrikan adding one each. Dat victory bin come after a 2-0 defeat to league leaders Al Nassr, wey bin seriously wound dia title hopes.
Matthias Jaissle side don win four of dia last five matches across all competitions, scoring nine goals and keeping two clean sheets for dat run. But di reverse fixture earlier dis season tell story: Al Fateh bin beat Al-Ahli 2-1. For di last five meetings, Al-Ahli don suffer three defeats, one draw, and just one win.
Al Fateh dey for contrasting position, sitting 12th with 33 points from eight wins, nine draws, and 13 defeats. Dem dey 10 points above relegation zone with three fixtures remaining after dis one. Jose Gomes side no yet mathematically safe, and dia recent form no too sweet: two defeats, two draws, and one win from last five league outings.
But dia most recent match show some hope, as Al Fateh bin come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Neom, with Mourad Batna and Sofiane Bendebka scoring to rescue a point. With few games left, dem go dey determined to pick up points anywhere.
For Al-Ahli side, Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney bin absent for di previous outing but dem dey expected to push for starting berths on Wednesday. Franck Kessie go anchor di midfield alongside Atangana and Enzo Millot. Roger Ibanez bin substituted at half time for di last match, and his availability still dey unknown.
Al Fateh no get any significant injury or suspension concerns, so Gomes go get full squad to select from. Saeed Baattiah, Ziyad Maher Aljari, Jorge Fernandes, and Majed Qasheesh go form di defence. Marwane Saadane, Zaydou Youssouf, and Bendebka go operate for midfield, with Bendebka don score for each of his last two appearances and dey try make am three in a row.
Matias Vargas, wey come off di bench last time, dey push for starting spot, with Batna and Fahad Aqeel Al-Zubaidi expected to complete di attacking unit.
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