Fresh off the back of an opening-day victory in the new AFC Champions League campaign, Al Ittihad play host to Al Fateh in round seven of the Saudi Professional League on Thursday.
Having failed to win any of the last five meetings between the sides since March 2021, the Role Model journey to the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium looking to get one over the hosts and make it three victories on the bounce.
Match preview
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Al Ittihad got their 2023-24 AFC Champions League campaign off to a flyer as they picked up a 3-0 home victory over Uzbekistan outfit FC AGMK in the Group C curtain-raiser on Monday.
It was a tale of two halves at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium as a first-half brace from Romarinho and Haroune Camara's 11th-minute strike were enough to condemn the visitors to an opening-day defeat.
Nuno Espirito Santo's men now turn their attention to the Professional League, where they returned to winning ways on September 14 when they beat Al Akhdood courtesy of a second-half effort from Karim Benzema.
Prior to that, the Tigers saw their 100% record in the new Saudi top-flight campaign come to an end when they lost 4-3 at the hands of Al-Hilal on September 1 to end their four-match winning streak.
With 15 points from the opening six matches, Al Ittihad are currently second in the Professional League standings, level on points with third-placed Al-Ahli and one behind league leaders Al-Hilal.
Al Fateh, on the other hand, picked up successive wins for the first time this season when they thrashed Al-Khaleej 3-1 at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium last Friday.
Moroccan midfielder Mourad Batna scored a first-half brace to set the visitors on their way and after Sofiane Bendebka added a third in the 66th minute, Fabio Martins pulled one back for Al-Khaleej with a late penalty.
This followed a 5-1 hammering of 10-man Al-Ahli at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium on September 2 courtesy of goals from Firas Al-Buraikan, Lucas Zelarayan, Sofiane Bendebka and a brace from Batna.
With last Friday's result, Al Fateh are now unbeaten in their three away games this season, picking wins over Al-Akhdood and Al-Khaleej, with a 2-2 draw against Damac on August 29 sandwiched between the two victories.
Slaven Bilic's men have picked up three wins from their opening six matches while losing once and claiming two draws to collect 11 points and sit seventh in the league table, but could rise into fourth place with all three points on Thursday.
Team News
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Al Ittihad remain without the services of Egyptian defender Ahmed Hegazy, who has been out of action since coming off with a cruciate ligament rupture back in May.
He is joined on the club's injury table by 32-year-old goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Jadani, who also continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines through an ACL injury.
Morocco international Abderrazak Hamdallah was forced off injured on the stroke of half time against AGMK on Monday and is a major doubt for the Tigers.
Romarinho has been one of the standout performers for Al Ittihad this season and the Brazilian forward, who has six goal involvements in his last five matches, will be one to look out for.
Meanwhile, Al Fateh will have to cope without Al-Nassr loanee Ali Mukhtar, who will serve a one-game suspension after picking up a red card against Al-Khaleej last time out.
In his absence, veteran midfielder Mohammed Al-Fuhaid will push for his first start of the season, forming the midfield trio with Sofiane Bendebka and 23-year-old Abbas Sadiq Alhassan.
Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:
Al-Mayouf; Shanqeeti, Hawsawi, Sharahili, Kadesh, Bamasud; Kante, Fabinho; Romarinho; Al-Amri, Camara
Al Fateh possible starting lineup:
Rinne; Buhumaid, Denayer, Saadane, Baattia; Bendebka, Alhassan, Al-Fuhaid; Zelarayan, Tello, Batna
We say: Al Ittihad 3-1 Al Fateh
Al Fateh have put together a fine run of results in recent weeks but are now faced with a difficult challenge of a sterner and more formidable opposition in Al Ittihad. The Tigers have enjoyed the better of this fixture, going unbeaten in 16 of their last 20 meetings, and we fancy them claiming all three points in front of their home supporters.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
