Two sides at opposite ends of the Saudi Arabia Professional League go head to head on Friday as Abha play host to Al Ittihad at the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.
While the Leaders of the South will be looking to avoid a run of three straight defeats and move out of the relegation zone, the visitors will also be looking to avoid back-to-back losses and climb further up the table.
Match preview
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Abha's relegation worries deepened after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Al-Okhdood at Prince Hathloul Sports City last Saturday.
This result extends their winless run to 15 matches in all competitions since November – losing 12 and drawing three and this dismal form has left them in the drop zone.
April was a particularly torrid month for Abha. Their only victory came against Al-Fateh (2-1), while they suffered heavy defeats to Al-Nassr (8-0), Al-Shabab (5-0), and Al-Okhdood (4-0). Worryingly, they have not scored in their last two matches.
Pitso Mosimane's side sit second-bottom in the Pro League standings with 25 points from 29 matches, just two points behind 15th-placed Al-Okhdood, who are precariously above the relegation zone.
Next up for Abha is a daunting task against Al Ittihad, who have dominated their recent meetings, winning the last six encounters.
However, Abha can take solace in their decent home form, as they boast the sixth-highest points tally at home this season, collecting 23 points at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.
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Al Ittihad's season took a turn for the worse after a cup disappointment, as Saudi giants Al-Hilal defeated them 2-1 in the King Cup of Champions semi-final, dashing their hopes of silverware.
This setback was compounded by a 3-1 defeat to Al-Shabab in the Pro League last Friday. Marcelo Gallardo's men have picked up just four points from their last four league matches and currently sit in fifth place, two points behind third-placed Al-Ahli, who have a game in hand.
Despite their recent struggles, Al Ittihad boast a strong record against Abha. They have won five and lost just one of their last six meetings on the road.
However, their away form has been inconsistent recently, losing twice in their last four away matches – the same number of defeats they suffered in the first 12 away games of the season.
Team News
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The hosts will be without Marcel Tisserand and Zakaria Al-Sudani who are both nursing muscle injuries.
Abha's top scorer in the league is defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak with eight goals and he is expected to be deployed in attack once again alongside Hassan Al-Ali.
For the visitors, Abdullah Al-Jadani, Ahmed Bamsaud and Ahmed Mohammed Sharahili are out with cruciate ligament injuries and will return at different dates.
Fabinho, Karim Benzema, Luiz Felipe, Sultan Al Farhan and Zakaria Al Hawsawi are all doubtful due to muscle injuries or unspecified ailments.
Abha possible starting lineup:
Tatarusanu; Al-Zubaidi, Noguera, Al Sahafi, Al-Jumayah; Mutairi, Bguir, Matic, Kamano; Al-Ali, Krychowiak
Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:
Al Muaiouf; Kadesh, Hegazy, Al-Mousa, Al Yami; F. Al-Ghamdi, Kante, Nashri; A. Al-Ghamdi, Hamadallah, Al-Sahafi
We say: Abha 1-2 Al Ittihad
Desperate Abha at home is a tricky test for Al Ittihad despite the visitors' historical dominance. However, the hosts have struggled for goals in recent matches and look like a side lacking inspiration. Despite all this, we expect a close fight, but a narrow victory for Al Ittihad is the likely result here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
