JEDDAH: The Saudi Professional League round two ended on Thursday with Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal keeping their places at the top of the table.
The Jeddah-based Ittihad enjoyed a second week in first place after beating Al-Watani of Tabuk 2-1 on Thursday at King Khaled Sport City in Tabuk. Egyptian import Emad Miteb hit a pair of goals to run his tally to three in two matches having scored the first goal in Ittihad’s opening match against Al-Raid on Sept. 13.
The only goal for Al-Watani came in the 89th minute on a penalty kick from Fahd Abu Jaber. The win put Ittihad on six points with seven goals after two matches. Al-Watani is next to last in the team standings with no points from two losses against Ittihad and Ittifaq. At home to Al-Raid from Buraidah, Hilal kept pace with Ittihad by scoring a 2-0 victory in Riyadh. Though equal on six points with Ittihad Hilal took second place because of goal difference. Hilal won its first match against Abha 3-0. Ahmad Al-Fareedi scored the first goal in the 46th minute with Ahmad Al-Suwaileh booting in the second in the 64th minute and the fifth in two matches for Hilal.
With consecutive losses against Ittihad and Hilal Al-Raid brings up the rear with no points so far in the competition.
Al-Nasr is in third place after round two following a 2-1 road triumph over Wehda of Makkah in a well-fought match.
Nasr drew first blood through Ahmad Al-Mubarak in the 39th minute before Saad Al-Harthi made it 2-0 for Nasr in the 82nd minute with a header. Wehda avoided a shutout loss when Amir Al-Akroot struck in the 86th minute. Nasr, who opened its campaign with a win against Al-Ahli, now has six points in a tie with Ittihad and Ahli but third in the ranking on goal difference.
Wehda is seventh with three points, its lone win so far coming against Al-Hazem.
Al-Ittifaq is fourth with four points from one win against Al-Watani in the opening match 3-0 and a 1-1 draw on Thursday against Al-Hazem of Al-Rass in Al-Rass. Al-Hazem occupies the eighth position with only one point from a draw against Ittifaq.
Ahli bounced back in the competition by beating Shabab 2-1 at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah. Ahli and Shabab are both on three points but lie in fifth and sixth, respectively, on goal difference.
Najran and Abha drew 1-1 in the second match in Najran. Najran lost the opening match against Shabab 2-1 and drew the second, while Abha lost the opening match against Hilal 3-0 and drew the second. Najran is in ninth position and Abha 10th each with one point.
