Al-Nassr will host Al Hazem with both teams on the opposite ends of the table. After 21 games, the hosts have 52 points in second place in the league rankings. The visitors are languishing at the bottom of the standings with just 14 points.
Preview (Al-Nassr vs. Al Hazem)
Al-Nassr will keep up their efforts to put pressure on Al Hilal this weekend. They enter the game seven points behind the undefeated Blue Waves. Over the weekend, Al-Alami prevailed 3-2 over a resolute Al Shabab team. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot. It marks his 750th goal in club football. Talisca added two more goals in the second half to give his team a crucial three points. As a result, Luis Castro’s team may be without their lucky charm for this encounter.
However, many would concur that the Knights of Najd have more than enough quality in their ranks to win this game, even if they will be without their captain. This is especially true given that they enter the game on a nine-game winning run and have not lost in their previous ten games. With five goals scored and one conceded, the hosts easily won the rematch, their fourth consecutive victory over Hazm dating back to February 2020. In that period, they have also outscored this opponent 13-3.
Hazem Al Samood is now six points behind Al-Riyadh, who are the first team above the dotted line, after only two victories, eight ties, and eleven losses in the league this season.Due to their dismal early-season performance, the team fired manager Filipe Gouveia after just ten games. Daniel Carreno, who has already scored 11 points in his first 12 league games, took over as manager.
Team News
Three of Al Nassr’s starting goalkeepers are still sidelined by injuries. Nawwaf Al-Aqidi is still serving a Saudi Football Federation ban. David Ospina and Raghed Al-Najjar are out. This weekend, Waleed Abdullah ought to stay in the goal. If Ronaldo is ruled out of this match, Ayman Yahya or Ali Al-Hassan may be able to break into the starting lineup, with Otavio and Talisca most likely taking on a more advanced role in the attack.
After what seemed to be a knock last week against Al Khaleej, Carreno substituted Brazilian player Vina before the half. Carreno’s absence is expected to continue for this game, meaning Basil Yousef Alsayyali will likely start in the midfield. Paulo Ricardo, who scored the equalizer for Hazem in the second half to atone for his own goal last week, ought to stick with former Braga defender Bruno Viana in central defense.
Al-Nassr 4-1 Al Hazem
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