JEDDAH: The Saudi Professional League resumes today with a full slate of six third round matches, after a short break during the last 10 days of Ramadan and Eid holidays.
Easily the strongest match of the round is between Al-Ittifaq and Al-Nasr at Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd Stadium in Dammam.
The undefeated Nasr club is looking to sustain its winning run against an Ittifaq side hoping to rebound from losing two valuable points after a draw in its last match against Al-Hazem. Nasr is in third place with six points and Ittifaq fourth with four points.
In Abha, the Jeddah-based club Al-Ahli meets Abha at Prince Sultan ibn Abdul Aziz Stadium in Al-Mahala.
It won’t be an easy match for Ahli if only because Abha is expected to go all out and end the continued loss of points. The hosts are currently in 10th place with only one point so far from a draw against Najran and a defeat against Hilal in the opening match.
Ahli got back on track after winning the last match against Al-Shabab 2-1 to be in fifth place with three points. Another three points would help Ahli climb up the team standings. It lost its opening match against Nasr 2-1.
In a match of tailenders, Al-Raid hosts Al-Watani of Tabuk in Buraidah. Raid is at the last and Watani next to last spot in the standings.
Shabab host Al-Wehda of Makkah in Riyadh at Prince Faisal ibn Fahd stadium in what promises to be another mouth-watering match of the day.
Shabab and Wehda share the fifth position on three points. Shabab wants to compensate the three points it lost against Ahli in Jeddah in the second round.
The same thing holds true with Wehda as it looks to cover the loss of three points in the 2-1 defeat by Nasr in the second round in Makkah. Al-Hilal looks to have an easy assignment away to Najran.
The defending champions should have no trouble adding to their tally of six points from two wins that is good for second place on goal difference. Najran is in eighth place with one point.
League leader Al-Ittihad, also with six points, welcomes Al-Hazem at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium here.
Ittihad is riding momentum of a two-match winning streak.
