Al Riyadh and Al Wahda get underway in the 2023 Saudi Pro League season with a meeting at Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium on Sunday evening.
The home side recently gained promotion to the top flight and will be keen to make a winning start against their visitors, who just about survived relegation last time out.
Match preview
With qualification for the Saudi Pro League already secured, Al Riyadh wrapped up life in the second tier with a 1-1 stalemate against Al-Qaisumah at the Al-Batin Club Stadium on May 29.
Yannick Ferrera's men opened the scoring on the stroke of half time through Fahd Al Rashedy after which Hamid Djaouchi restored parity five minutes into the second period.
As a result, the Saudi capital-based side are now unbeaten in three of their last four matches, with a 3-1 defeat against Al-Shoalah the only exception in that time.
Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit who have lost just one of the last eight encounters between the teams, winning six of the other seven.
Having recorded clean sheets in three of their most recent five home matches, Sunday's hosts will be looking to keep things tight at the back en route to another positive result in front of their fans.
Al Wahda were beaten for the second pre-season game running in a 2-0 defeat against Metalac Gornji Milanovac at Stadion Metalac on July 31.
Off the back of an uneventful opening 45 minutes, second-half goals from Bojan Aleksic and Stefan Ilic put Giorgos Donis's men to the sword.
The Knights of Mecca have now been beaten in each of their last three outings by a combined score of 5-0 dating back to last season's closing fixture against Al Fayha.
Currently on a run of two straight defeats on the road, Sunday's visitors now set out to avoid suffering three losses in a row away from home for the first time since October.
- D
- L
- L
Team News
Knowledge Musona was directly involved in 17 league goals last time out, and the Al Riyadh forward will be aiming to make an instant impact for his new employers.
Having recently completed a move from French lower league side Auxerre, Birama Toure is on course to make his debut for the home side here.
Oscar Duarte is Al Wahda's only guaranteed absentee for this one as he remains sidelined with a shoulder problem which has seen him fail to feature since May.
Twenty-five-year-old Naif Kireiri has recently returned from his loan spell at Al Ahli and could be set for a more prominent role this season.
Al Riyadh possible starting lineup:
Campana; Adnan, Tosca, Asiri, Zaqan; Al Dosari, Toure, Musona; Al-Yami, Al-Abbas, Moath
Al Wahda possible starting lineup:
Atiah; Ahmed, Bukhari, Makki, Kurdi; Akouz, Al-Hejji, Bakshween, Al-Ghamdi; Beauguel, Yoda
We say: Al Riyadh 1-1 Al Wahda
Given their visitors' poor run of form heading into this one, Al Riyadh have a good chance to kick off life in the top flight on a winning note. However, we expect the teams to cancel each other out and make do with a point apiece in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Adepoju Marvellous
