Two sides that have experienced contrasting starts to their 2023-24 Saudi Pro League season will face off on matchday two when Damac play host to Al Riyadh at the Dhamak Club Stadium on Thursday.

The hosts come into this match off the back of a 1-0 loss to Al Tai last weekend, while the visitors got their season off to a winning start, overcoming Al Wehda 1-0 at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium the following day.

Match preview

Damac will be hoping for a much better league campaign after watching last season fizzle out with only a single win in their final five matches, along with two losses and three draws.

Their poor end to the season saw them finish three places below where they finished the previous season in eighth, recording nine wins, nine draws and 13 losses in their 30 league matches.

Last week, despite managing more shots at goal, Cosmin Contra's side were beaten by Al Tai, who ended last term below Damac in the league standings and had lost each of their last five matches of the season.

The hosts managed a record of five wins, five draws and five losses in 15 matches at home last season, which was only the 11th-best record in the league while posting the third-worst attacking record of 16 goals in that time.

Still, against a newly promoted side, Damac are heavily backed to secure their first win of the season in this match, though they will need to tighten up in defence, having shipped 11 goals in their last six matches on either side of the break.

Meanwhile, with the Saudi Pro League being expanded to 18 teams this season, four teams from the First Division League were awarded promotion, and Al Riyadh were the beneficiary of the change, having finished in fourth place last season.

The visitors are now returning to the top flight of football in Saudi Arabia for the first time since they were relegated in the 2004-05 season, and this will be the 24th season that they will be competing at the highest division.

Al Riyadh ended last season on 63 points in their 34 First Division League matches, nine points behind the league winners Al-Ahli while posting a record of 19 wins, six draws and nine losses.

While they have been tipped to struggle this season, Yannick Ferrera's side got their league campaign off to a promising start, beating Al Wehda 1-0 in their opening match of the season thanks to a solitary goal from Zimbabwean midfielder Knowledge Musona.

That win would have given them huge confidence after a lengthy absence from the top flight, and they will be hoping to build on that start with another solid performance in their first away match of the season.

Team News

Farhad Al-Johani was brought in during the transfer window for the hosts, and after coming off the bench last week, the centre-forward will be hoping to make the starting 11 this time.

Abdulaziz Al-Bishi looked good on his league debut for Damac last week and should retain his place in the midfield alongside Domagoj Antolic and Bader Munshi.

Musona's goal in the last match should be enough to see him keep his place in the starting lineup, and he will likely accompany fellow new signing Saleh Al-Abbas in the attack.

Behind them, Ibrahim Ndong and Birama Toure seem like they could form a solid partnership in the centre of midfield and will likely start this match with Hussain Al-Nowaiqi and Abdulelah Al Khaibari on either flank.

Damac possible starting lineup:
Abdalbaset; Al Hawsawi, Chafai, Bedrane, Al-Ammar; Munshi, Sharara, Al-Bishi, Antolic, Makin; Al-Johani

Al Riyadh possible starting lineup:
Campana; Asiri, Arslanagic, Tosca; Al-Nowaiqi, Ndong, Toure, Al Khaibari; Al-Zaqaan, Al Abbas, Musona

We say: Damac 1-1 Al Riyadh

The visitors have made a number of signings over the break and got a hard-fought victory in their opening match, which would have done their confidence a world of good. The hosts were disappointing last week but will be expecting major improvement in their first home match of the campaign. We feel this one will end level at the full-time whistle.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Devesh Jaganath

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