JEDDAH: Four matches will be played today when the Saudi Professional League resumes after a month’s break due to the national team’s participation in the World Cup qualifying matches and the Crown Prince Cup tourney.
The battle resumes for Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, who are the only two fighting it out for the league title, after eliminating all others from the competition.
In Jeddah, Ittihad will host Al-Ittifaq in a crucial match that the host will have bag all three points. Any other result will benefit Hilal and will widen the gap between the top two.
Hilal and Ittihad have the same number of points (43) but Hilal has a better goal average.
Ittifaq is in fourth with 27 points and need a win to move into third position.
Ittihad will have to go on the attack right from the start and seek an early goal to keep the pressure on its rivals.
Hilal’s task is even more difficult when they face Al-Shabab in a match consideres tough for both teams.
Shabab is in third place and will need a win to maintain its position and to keep Ittifaq away. The same applies for Hilal.
The team needs to speak one football language and that is to win. Any other result will be music to Ittihad’s ear who will then go atop.
Bottom-placed Al-Watani with nine points will host Al-Nasr in Tabuk in a match that is important for positions. A win will help them avoid relegation to the first division.
Nasr lost their hope to be on top with only seven matches remaining on the league.
The last match of the day features Al-Wehda and Al-Ahli in Makkah.
Ahli needs a win to advance to the fourth position under the condition that Ittifaq lose their match against Ittihad. Ahli is fifth in the standings with 25 points.
Wehda is seventh with 20 points and the three points if collected against Ahli will hold Wehda in the seventh place with 23 points.
