JEDDAH: Six round 18 matches featuring all 12 teams in the fold will be played today in the resumption of the Saudi Professional League at venues across the Kingdom.
The first and strongest match of this round is between Al-Ittifaq and Al-Ahli at Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd Stadium in Dammam.
In third position with 32 points, Ahli is seeking the game’s three points to cement its place in the team standings against a side which is hoping to leap to fifth spot with a victory combined with Al-Nasr losing its match today against Al-Hasem in Al-Rass.
In Riyadh, Al-Shabab hosts Al-Watani as it tries to regain lost ground after it slipped a notch to fourth with 31 points.
Second-ranked Al-Hilal (44 points) plays Wehda, which is in seventh place with 20 points..
After enjoying the lead for a number of weeks, Hilal switched places with Jeddah rival Al-Ittihad and as a result put the Riyadh club are in a tight situation wherein there is no room to miss any point against any team at this stage.
Abha and Al-Raid face off in Abha in an important match for both teams. Abha is in 11th position with 11 points and Al-Raid 10th with 12 points.
Back in the lead with 46 points, Al-Ittihad will be up against Najran in an intriguing away match in Najran.
Ittihad is the odds-on favorite but a Najran surprise is not being ruled out more so because the game is being played in front of its supporters at home.
