Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Hilal (September 1st) Saudi Pro League Match Prediction
The top two teams in the early Saudi Pro League table will go one-on-one on Friday when leaders Al-Ittihad welcome Al-Hilal to the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, with kickoff slated for 18:00 GMT.
Key Highlights
Al-Ittihad’s 100% Start to the Saudi Pro League
Al-Ittihad have been flawless in their opening four rounds of fixtures in the new Saudi Pro League season. They have won all four matches, scored 12 goals, and kept four clean sheets in the process.
The start they have had is directly attributed to the balance that they have attained in the team. Defensively, they have a base of Fabinho and Ngolo Kante screening the back four, giving them the most robust, energetic, and dynamic midfield duo in the league.
Going forward, the firepower provided by the current Ballon d’Or cannot be underestimated, with the support of Diogo Jota, Coronado, Romarinho, and Hamdallah.
Nuno Espirito Santo and his Al-Ittihad charges will look to extend their brilliant form when they host Al-Hilal, who have also had a storming start to the season and will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record so far.
The Alexander Mitrovic Factor in the Al-Hilal Attack
The arrival of Alexander Mitrovic from Fulham has not resulted in goals yet, but it has transformed Al-Hilal’s presence and potency in the final third.
Going into the clash against Al-Ittihad, in which Benzema’s participation is in doubt, the presence of Mitrovic upfront will give Al-Hilal a different dimension in their attack.
While he is good with his feet, Mitrovic’s ability to play with his back to goal, aerial threat, and ability to run the channels will be invaluable for Jorge Jesus and his Al-Hilal charges.
Al-Hilal will also need to work on their shape to ensure that the energy of Kante and Fabinho does not overrun their midfield of Neves, Kanno, and Malcom.
Jorge Jesus prefers to play on the front foot, boss possession and set the match’s tempo. However, he will have to deal with the counter-pressing of Al-Ittihad and their potency on the counterattack.
Injury Report
Al-Ittihad
Karim Benzema was forced to come off with a suspected hamstring injury in the Al-Ittihad match against Al-Wehda. The Frenchman is unlikely to be back fit in time to face Al-Hilal on Friday, which means Espirito Santo will have to pick a team without Benzema.
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal had Sergej Milinkovic-Savic sent off in their 0-4 win over Al-Raed, which means that the midfielder will be unavailable for selection in the mega match against Al-Ittihad due to suspension.
Possible Lineups
Al-Ittihad
M. Grohe; A. Bamsaud, A. Sharahili, O. Hawsawi, M. Al-Shanqeeti; Fabinho, M. Kante; I. Coronado, A. Hamdallah, Romarinho; Jota
Al-Hilal
Bono; S. Abdulhamid, K. Koulibaly, A. Al Bulaihi, Y. Al-Shahrani; R. Neves, M. Kanno; Michael, Malcom, S. Al-Dawsari; A. Mitrovic
Prediction
Playing at home, Al-Ittihad will look to be proactive in their approach. The focus will be on dominating the midfield both in terms of retaining and recycling possession and winning the ball back as soon as they lose it.
Counter-pressing will be important for Al-Ittihad in launching attacks, including counter-attacks, and bolstering their chances of creating good goalscoring chances.
Al-Hilal will retain their philosophy of a ball-playing possession-based approach to this match. They will look to build play from the back, dominate the ball, and create chances by playing through Al-Ittihad.
Jorge Jesus will instruct his charges to counter-press in a bid to avoid conceding counter-attacks during transition of possession.
Al-Ittihad are currently in great form and will have the home advantage, they will win the match and make it five consecutive wins in the Saudi Pro League.
