- Date: Saturday, 24 February
- Kick-off Time: 2:00 PM (GMT)
- Stadium: Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa’ed Stadium
Al Tai vs Al Ahli Saudi Preview:
Al Tai vs Al Ahli Saudi will kick off on a hot Saturday afternoon as 3rd placed Al Ahli look to recover from their loss last weekend. The club has accumulated an impressive 40 points in 20 league games since their return to the Pro League. Their expensive summer signings have certainly made an impact at the club. The likes of Saint Maximin, Riyad Maharez, Gabri Veiga have guided them to third place, just behind Al-Hilal and Al-Nasser. Captain Roberto Firmino has struggled since his arrival having scored only 4 goals in 18 games. Although, he bounced back last week with a good goal. He will look to help his squad return to winning ways against 16th ranked Al Tai.
Meanwhile, Al Tai have floundered in an attempt to cope up with the increased competitiveness of the Saudi Pro League. The club from Ha’il finished in 9th place after a valiant effort last campaign. However, this season the club lost many crucial players and the arrival of stars in the league has deflated the momentum of the club. The club is now facing a real threat of relegation having won only one point in their last five league games. In this difficult moment, they host Al Ahli this weekend.
Team News:
Al Tai:
Al Tai comes into the game at home after a hard fought 1-1 draw away from home against Al Wehda. The draw came as a relief to fans and players alike as the point earned was the first in five games. Al Tai’s performances have been mediocre all season, but recently they have reached rock bottom due the absence of key players via injuries. Left-back Hussain Qasim was enjoying a fantastic season with the club from Ha’il before he tore his ACL.
The injury meant that Hussain was ruled out for the remainder of the season, weakening Al Tai massively. He will obviously miss the tie against Al Ahli. The club was also dealt another blow as Abdulkarim Al-Sulaiman tore his ACL as well a month after Hussain. The two long term injuries have weakened the squad in defense with less defensive options available for gaffer Laurentiu Reghecampf.
Al Ahli:
On the other side of the line are Al Ahli. Al Ahli bolstered their squad with massive signings last season, and they must be thankful for it. Despite losing crucial players to injury across the season, they have continued to win. Except for last week, as 11th place Al Akhdood handed Al Ahli a shock 3-2 loss.
Al Ahli visit Al Al Tai without ex-Roma center back Roger Ibanez. His two yellow cards against Al Akhdood saved Al Ahli from conceding another late goal, but will in turn see him stay home for the tie against Al Tai. Youngster Gabri Veiga will also be missed in Ahli’s midfield as the youngster’s ankle injury will sideline him till April.
Gabri is also likely to be joined by Merih Demiral on the sidelines as he hasn’t recovered from his injury. Ali Al Asmari also suffered an injury on February 15 and the club hasn’t set a timeline for his return. It is unlikely that he will feature cum Saturday. Central Midfielder Abdullah Otayf will continue to remain absent with his long term ACL injury.
Predicted Lineups:
Al Tai Expected XI:
Moataz Al-Baqaawi (GK), Ibrahim Alnakhli, Robert Bauer, Enzo Roco, Safwan Saud, Jamal Bajandouh, Andrei Cordea, Alfa Semedo (C), Bernard Mensah, Salman Al-Muwashar, Marko Dugandžić
Al Ahli Expected XI:
Edouard Mendy (GK), Ali Majrashi, Rayan Hamed, Abdulbaset Hindi, Saad Yaslam Balobaid, Mohammed Al-Majhad, Franck Kessie, Riyad Maharez, Roberto Firmino (C), Allan Saint-Maximin, Firas Al-Buraikan
Head-to-Head Record:
The fixture Al Tai vs Al Ahli will be the 14th rendition of the game since 2005. In their 13 previous meetings, Al Ahli have won a colossal 10 games, while Al Tai have won only two. Al Tai’s last victory over Al Ahli came back in 2008. Only one game between the two clubs has ended in a draw. When the two teams met back in August, Al Ahli cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory at home.
Last five results:
- Al Ahli 2-0 Al Tai:- Saudi Pro League – 29 August, 2023
- Al Ahli 3-1 Al Tai:- Saudi Pro League – 12 March, 2022
- Al Tai 1-2 Al Ahli:- Saudi Pro League – 21 October, 2021
- Al Ahli 3-0 Al Tai:- Kings Cup – 21 January, 2016
- Al Ahli 3-0 Al Tai:- Kings Cup – 25 March, 2015
Prediction:
There is little doubt as to which side holds all the cards coming into the tie on Saturday. Al Tai need to start collecting points if they wish to survive the relegation threat. However, it is unlikely that they will come away with points against Al Ahli on Saturday. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli comes into the game looking to put their defeat last week behind them and win three important points. Barring any surprise, Al Ahli are expected to win the game and secure three points away from home.
Predicted Score: Al Ahli 2-0 Al Tai
Odds and Betting Tips
Bookmakers expect the visiting side, Al Ahli, to win the clash.
- Al Tai win: 6.42
- Draw: 4.40
- Al Ahli win: 1.42
Odds Source: Oddspedia.com
Bookmaker: Stake
Where to watch Al Tai vs Al Ahli:
- India: Sony Liv, Sony Sports Network
- Saudi Arabia: Saudi Sports Company (SSC)
- United Kingdom: DAZN
- USA: fuboTV, Fox Sports