JEDDAH, 25 December 2006 — Round 13 of the Saudi Football League resumes today with two matches on tap.

In the first match Al-Ahli of Jeddah host Al-Hazem of Al-Rass here at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium. Ahli are looking to secure the game three points and make up for the points lost. The team realize the seriousness of the situation and that they cannot afford losing points anymore if they are to advance to the final four positions and compete for the King Abdullah trophy. Ahli lost the first stage match in Al-Rass 2-1. Ahli are sixth place with 15 points from seven wins, one draw and four loses and Al-Hazem last with seven points from eight loses, one draw and two wins.

The league-leaders Hilal face the second-ranked Wehda at Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Stadium in Riyadh in the second match.

Hilal will be looking to widen the gap separating them with the second place, while Wehda of Makkah hope to repeat the 2-1 victory over Hilal in the first stage match in Makkah.

Wehda enter the match buoyed by a string of victories including the 3-2 victory over Al-Nasr in Makkah on Dec. 1 6. Hilal are on top with 31 points off 10 wins, one loss and one draw. Wehda are second with 25 points from eight wins, one draw and two losses.

Meanwhile, the president of the Saudi Youth Welfare Presidency, Prince Sultan ibn Fahd, issued a decision to suspend Al-Ittihad right-winger Ahmad Al-Dokhi for two games. The presidency issued also a decision to have one home match of Taie played outside Hail.

The Al-Dokhi suspension came after he tried to assault a Taie player as the game ended last week in favor of Ittihad 1-0. One home match was taken away from Taie as punishment to Taie fans who heaped racial abuse on Ittihad players.

Commenting on the decision, Al-Dokhi said he wished the disciplinary committee at the GPYW review the game video and see how one of Taie players tried to injure him intentionally by hitting him. He said that he just tried to ask him after the match why he hit him without the ball. The way they saw it from outside the field it looked like he was going to attack him when he only approached him to question his behavior.

Nawaf Al-Sabhan, Taie club president, said the decision to transfer one match outside Hail was harsh. He said, “the people that were shouting racist words were probably not Taie fans. We should not be punished for what people do. Police should be present at the stadium and arrest those shouting racist remarks instead of making us suffer the punishment.”

In the Arab Champions League, meantime, ES Setif face Kuwait of Kuwait in Algeria in first leg match of Group B matches today. Es Setif are second with 3 points from one win against Al-Nasr in Riyadh 2-1. Kuwait are third with no points from one loss against Al-Faisali of Jordan in Kuwait 1-0. Kuwait face a difficult mission in Algeria in front of expected large home crowd.