RSL bottom clubs target climb, Al Taawoun utilise home comforts

Matchweek 10 of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League concludes on Saturday, with the bottom two teams in action and cup specialists Al Taawoun attempting to extend their formidable home form.

Here’s our matchday preview.

Al Fateh v Al Khaleej

Al Fateh Club Stadium, Al Ahsa - KICK-OFF 17:30

The RSL’s bottom club attempts once more this weekend to get back into the win column, with Al Fateh currently without victory in their past eight matches across all competitions. Indeed, they have won once this season.

They will take heart, though, in that two of their past three in the RSL have been draws, with both coming at home. Manager Jens Gustafsson has endured a torrid time since his appointment on the eve of the club’s opening match, but he will hope this could jolt his debut campaign in Saudi football.

Al Khaleej, though, are already seemingly at that point. Georgios Donis’ side have come through a sticky start to the season to turn around their fortunes, winning three of their past four in the RSL. Plus, they come into this clash on the back of Saturday’s thumping 4-0 victory at home to Al Raed.

An interesting statistic for this one: Al Khaleej forward Khaled Narey has scored nine goals in the RSL, with the large majority away from home (seven). One of those came against Al Fateh, in March.

Get your tickets for Al Fateh v Al Khaleej HERE 

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Al Wehda v Damac

King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium, Mecca - KICK-OFF 18:15

Two clubs over in the west of the Kingdom meet in the holy city with each seeking to climb from the lower reaches of the table. For Al Wehda, they are languishing second bottom having won only once in the RSL this season – and that was in Matchweek 2.

As it is, Josef Zinnbauer’s men have lost their past three across all competitions, including an exit from the King’s Cup and last Thursday’s 3-1 league defeat at Al Shabab.

Damac, meanwhile, have been slightly more consistent – but certainly nowhere near what manager Cosmin Contra would want. The southern side have won one and drawn three of their most recent RSL outings and were boosted significantly by Georges-Kevin N’Koudou’s injury-time penalty on Saturday that secured a 2-2 draw at home to high-flying Al Riyadh.

There is reason for optimism for N’Koudou and his fellow forwards: Al Wehda have conceded in their past 13 RSL home matches, averaging 1.8 goals per match. That marks their longest streak without a clean sheet in the competition since a 20-match run between April 2016 and November 2018 – during which time they suffered relegation.

Get your tickets for Al Wehda v Damac HERE

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Al Taawoun v Al Okhdood

Al Taawoun Club Stadium, Buraidah - KICK-OFF 20:00 

Matchweek 10 rounds off with Al Taawoun attempting to transfer their cup form back to the RSL. The Buraidah club, sitting ninth, have won five from six in cup competitions, including last week’s hugely impressive victory at Al Nassr in the King’s Cup.

However, in the league it’s a different story: Al Taawoun have triumphed once in their past six, and that was Matchweek 6. They do, though, come into Saturday’s clash with Al Okhdood on the back of a convincing 4-0 victory at Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr in the AFC Asian Champions League Two.

Al Okhdood, though, have been buoyed by holding Al Ahli to a 1-1 draw in Jeddah in Matchweek 8 and then following that up with a superb 4-0 victory at home to Al Orobah. That represents one of only two wins in the league for Stjepan Tomas’ team, although at 13th in the standings, they won’t grumble too much.

However, Al Taawoun aren’t the most hospitable hosts: coming into Matchweek 10, only Al Ittihad (15) and Al Hilal (12) had earned more home points this season than their 11.

Get your tickets for Al Taawoun v Al Okhdood HERE