Al-Nassr’s pursuit of the Saudi Pro League title is off to a poor start following their 2-1 defeat to Al-Ettifaq in their first league game of the 2023-24 campaign.
They have a chance to redeem themselves when they head back home this weekend, where they’ll face Al-Taawoun at the KSU Football Field, at least based on the pre-game Saudi Pro League 2023 odds.
Speaking of Al-Ettifaq, Steven Gerrard and co. will visit Ar Rass to take on Al-Hazem, and they have a great chance to stand on top of the table should they win again on Saturday.
And another key matchup to look out for this weekend is the one between Al-Hilal and Al-Feiha, who are coming off wins in the first matchday.
Without further ado, here is a preview of these games, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Al-Nassr vs Al-Taawoun
Prior to their match against Al-Ettifaq, Al-Nassr were on a high following their dramatic win in the Arab Club Champions Cup, as Cristiano Ronaldo came to the rescue in order to beat Al-Hilal.
The odds were stacked against Al-Nassr when they went down by one goal and when they were reduced to 10 men. However, it ain’t over until it’s over, and Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals in the last 15 minutes to steal the win and the trophy.
It was Ronaldo’s first piece of silverware at Al-Nassr, and he’ll be aiming for more in the Saudi Pro League this season.
Losing to Al-Ettifaq on the first Saudi Pro League matchday was tough, but they can get on board against Al-Taawoun, whom they beat in February.
Al-Taawoun were held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Fateh last night as midfielder Andrei Girotto scored the equaliser right before halftime.
Despite coming away with a point, Al-Taawoun will need a better performance this weekend, especially against a loaded team like Al-Nassr, and they will likely lean on Girotto and Leandre Tawamba, who was their top scorer last term with nine goals.
Al-Hazem vs Al-Ettifaq
The Steven Gerrard era is off to an auspicious start following their opening-day victory against Al-Nassr. Al-Ettifaq actually started the game badly, going down 1-0 when Sadio Mane scored after four minutes, but second-half goals from Robin Quaison and Moussa Dembele saw them through.
It was a night to forget for Al-Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi. Quaison’s equaliser happened after Alaqidi fumbled a cross, while Dembele was at the right place at the right time when Alaqidi parried a cross a few minutes later.
After his abrupt sacking by Aston Villa in October, Gerrard is hoping to rebuild his managerial reputation. Little did he know that he would end up on the other side of the world with his former running mate Henderson, and they both have a chance to do something special here in Al-Ettifaq.
Their opponents, Al-Hazem, are looking to get into the win column following their opening-day 3-1 loss to Al-Ahli, and the newly promoted side is certainly the underdog against Al-Ettifaq.
Summer signing Vinicius Goes Barbosa de Souza, aka “Vina”, was the lone bright spot for Al-Hazem, and they may need him to produce another entry in the Saudi Pro League 2023 highlights reel this weekend.
Al-Hilal vs Al-Feiha
Al-Hilal made a big splash by luring Neymar from PSG, but his Saudi Pro League debut will have to wait. Still, Al-Hilal should be considered the favourites to defeat Al-Feiha given their stronger roster.
Al-Hilal just defeated Abha 3-1 last night to put the disappointment of their Arab Club Champions Cup final loss to Al-Nassr behind them, and what a debut it was for Malcom, as he recorded a hat-trick on his Saudi Pro League debut.
Malcom opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark when he was teed up by Salem Aldawsari, but Abha equalised two minutes later when Saad Bguir launched a spectacular volley on the other end.
But Malcom restored Al-Hilal’s lead after halftime when Abha goalkeeper Devis Epassy failed to keep hold of the Brazilian’s attempt, and the former Zenit St. Petersburg forward completed his hat-trick with a volley into the bottom corner after 77 minutes.
Their opponents, Al-Feiha, meanwhile, are also fresh from a 3-1 win over Al-Khaleej. Ricardo, Fashion Sakala, and Sultan Mandash all found the back of the net for Al-Feiha, while Hisham Al Dubais scored the consolation goal for Al-Khaleej. Al-Feiha plan to extend their stay in the Saudi Pro League for at least one more year, and beating a stacked Al-Hilal roster this early is certainly a step in the right direction.
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