Al Tai and Al Hazem get set for potentially decisive clash for RSL survival

It’s that time of the Roshn Saudi League season where attention starts to turn as much to the bottom of the table as to the top.

With little more than a third of the campaign remaining, Al Hilal sit nine points clear of second-placed Al Nassr, who are a further nine ahead of Al Ahli in third. It might appear to make for a less dramatic title race, but there is plenty of scope for a few twists and turns yet.

At the foot of the table, however, there is significant intrigue as teams battle to avoid relegation. Not only does every point matter, but so potentially does every goal, with goal difference potentially a factor in the final standings.

Therefore, it's what makes this weekend’s clash between Al Tai and Al Hazem, 16th and 18th respectively in the RSL, such a fascinating battle. Any game between teams in a relegation battle is often deemed a classic “six-pointer”, given the changing permutations that come with every win and loss.

For Al Hazem, they’re currently three points behind at the foot of the table. An away win on Friday would take them level with Al Tai and perhaps lift them to within another victory from safety.

A loss, though, could see Al Hazem slip as far as six points from safety, which would be a mighty margin to make up over the final months of the season.

Al Hazem will arrive in Haʼil, to the north-west of the Kingdom, full of confidence after a dramatic, and important, 4-4 draw at Al Nassr last time out, in Matchweek 22.

Falling behind their more-fancied opponents on four separate occasions, each time Jose Carreno’s side managed to respond - to their infinite credit.

Not even conceding a 94th-minute penalty that put Al Nassr 4-3 up sapped their belief, with the visitors fighting back to equalise in dramatic fashion in the ninth minute of additional time.

It’s a result conveying, despite their position in the table, Al Hazem are a side that retain a confidence they can match any team in the league.

While they walked away with a solitary point, every addition to their overall tally at this stage of the season is gold.

“To draw 4-4 here, I think even for the public, [and] the people watching the game on TV, was very good and very exciting,” star midfielder Toze said in the aftermath.

“It’s a very important point [in order] for us to reach our target. Of course, to draw here against one of the biggest teams in Saudi Arabia, it’s amazing for us.”

Toze, a former Portuguese youth international who arrived at Al Hazem following four years in the UAE, where he impressed with Al Nasr, has been one of the standout performers for Carreno’s side this season.

Not only has his experience been invaluable, but his seven goals and five assists have been even more so. It was no surprise to see him on the scoresheet against Al Nassr.

Al Tai, meanwhile, will be desperate to arrest a run of form that has seen them lose six of their past seven, in the process sliding from a healthy 11th at the end of Round 15, to 16th just seven games later.

Their most recent RSL match was another of those so-called “six-pointers”, since it came against Abha, who make up the division’s current bottom three and are thus also facing the drop this season.

A 2-0 loss for Laurentiu Reghecampf’s side was far from ideal and did little to alleviate the pressure building on the players and the Romanian. Reghecampf fared much better in a previous stint in Saudi Arabia, taking Al Hilal to the AFC Champions League final in 2014.

Friday feels like another must-win encounter.

“The fans have a right to be worried,” Abdulfattah Asiri said after the Abha defeat. “It's natural because their team is fighting the relegation battle, after having seen the team play well and finish in higher position in the previous years. Hopefully, we will be able to satisfy them [against Al Hazem].”

Teammate Adeeb Al Haizan implored the Al Tai faithful to turn out and support the team, in turn helping get the side over the line and one step closer to possible safety.

“We need your support,” the striker said. “We are aware of our responsibility, more than anyone else. We need your support in this period.

“Believe me, I know the fans are disappointed with the players, but each player knows his responsibility, and is frustrated with what's happening and wants to do better every game. We are doing what we can, performing to the best of our ability.”

The home support will no doubt heed his call in one of Matchweek 23’s standout matches and transport the Prince Abdulaziz Bin Musaid Sport City Stadium into an intimidating sea of black and white.

Whether that will be enough to carry their team to a vital victory remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: the 2023-24 RSL relegation battle will swing one way or the other this weekend.