JEDDAH, 15 January 2008 — City rivals Al-Hilal and Al-Nasr were drawn to meet each other in the first knockout stage of the Crown Prince Cup football tournament, which starts next month.
Saudi Football Federation President Prince Sultan ibn Fahd and his deputy Prince Nawaf ibn Faisal attended the draw ceremony yesterday for the 16 teams from the Saudi League Premier Division, First Division and Second Division.
Following the draw, strong teams in the Premier Division were widely tipped to clash in the quarterfinals or semifinals.
But the early clash between the two Riyadh clubs means that the competition stands to lose one of its top teams.
Al-Hazem of Al-Rass drew Riyadh of Riyadh in Riyadh. Al-Shabab, another strong team from Riyadh, are expected to advance when they face the First Division team Dhamak in Riyadh.
In other round-of-16 matches, Taie are to meet Al-Watani in Hail. Al-Ittihad open their campaign against Qadisia in Dammam. Al-Ittifaq take on Second Division side Al-Rabeea in Dammam, while Wehda are to host Najran in Makkah and Al-Ahli welcome Al-Jabaleen in Jeddah.
The winner between Hilal and Nasr will clash against the winner of the Al-Hazem-Riyadh tussle in the quarterfinals. Barring an upset, Shabab will be up against the winner between Taie and Al-Watani the second knockout stage of the tournament. Winner of the Ittihad-Qadisia clash will meet either Ittifaq or Al-Rabeea, and the winner between Wehda and Najran will advance against the winner of the Ahli-Al-Jabaleen match-up.
Among the heavyweights, Hilal and Shabab are headed to play in the semifinals as well as Ittihad and Ahli making for a blockbuster Final Four. But this is contingent on each of them hurdling the first two knockout matches.
Ittihad are the winningest team in this championship with seven titles they won in 1958, 1959, 1963, 1991, 1997, 2001 and 2004. Hilal are second with six titles (1964, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006). The defending champions Ahli are third with five championships (1957, 1970, 1998, 2002 and 2007), and Shabab fourth with three (1993, 1996 and 1999). Nasr won the competition twice in 1973 and 1974. Riyadh club triumphed in 1994, Qadisia in 1992, Ittifaq in 1965 and Wehda in 1960.
