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Sports Mole previews Friday’s Saudi Pro League clash between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Al Hilal will be looking to move one step closer to the Saudi Professional League title when they journey to the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium to face Al-Taawoun on Thursday.
Having lost each of the last three meetings between the sides, the hosts will head into the game seeking to get over Al-Za’eem and move into the Champions League qualifying places.
Match preview
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Al-Taawoun maintained their impressive late-season form as they secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Damac when the sides squared off at the Dhamak Club Stadium last Friday.
In a game where Ahmad Zain received his marching orders, 31-year-old striker Joao Pedro came up clutch for the visitors as he netted an 89th-minute winner to hand them all three points.
Al-Taawoun have now gone six consecutive games without defeat, picking up three wins and three draws since a 1-0 loss at the hands of Al-Ahli on March 9.
With 51 points from 29 matches, Pericles Chamusca‘s men are currently fourth in the Professional League standings, just one point behind third-placed Al-Ahli in the final Champions League qualification spot.
The Wolves’ impressive campaign has been owing to the solid job done at the defensive end of the pitch, where they boast the division’s fourth-best record, having conceded just 31 goals so far.
Next up for Al-Taawoun is the stern challenge of going up against an opposing side who have won each of their most recent three encounters and are unbeaten in 16 of their last 20 meetings, claiming 15 wins and one draw since September 2011.
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Al-Hilal, on the other hand, secured their spot in the final of the King’s Cup as they secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al-Ittihad at the King Abdullah Sports City on Tuesday.
Despite going one man down in the 42nd minute, when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was shown a straight red card, goals from Michael and Saud Abdulhamid on either side of Abderrazak Hamdallah‘s 67th-minute equaliser saw Al-Za’eem come away with the desired result.
Al-Hilal now turn their attention to the Professional League, where they are currently on a blistering run of 21 consecutive victories, stretching back to a 1-1 draw at Damac on September 21.
With just six games left to go, Jorge Jesus‘s men are yet to suffer defeat in the league, picking up 26 wins and two draws in their 28 matches while scoring a staggering 86 goals and conceding just 18.
With 80 points from a possible 84, Al-Hilal currently lead the way at the top of the Professional League standings with a healthy nine-point lead over second-placed Al-Nassr.
Al-Taawoun Saudi Pro League form:
Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League form:
Al-Hilal form (all competitions):
Team News
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With his strike against Damac, Pedro now has 10 league goals under his belt and we expect the Brazilian striker to spearhead Al-Taawoun’s attack once again.
He should be joined in the final third by Abdulfattah Adam Mohammed and Al-Ettifaq loanee Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi, while Muath Faqeehi, Andrei Girotto, Awn Al Saluli and Mohamed Al-Ghamdi should retain their roles in the back four.
Skipper Ashraf El Mahdioui suffered a game-ending injury inside the opening 15 minutes against Damac last time out and the Dutchman will play no part in Thursday’s game.
Al-Hilal will have to cope without the services of experienced midfielder Milinkovic-Savic, who is currently suspended after receiving his marching orders against Al-Ittihad last time out.
In his absence, 29-year-old Mohamed Kanno should come into the fold, forming the two-man midfield anchor with Portugal international Ruben Neves.
On the injury front, 25-year-old Nasser Al-Dawsari was forced off injured midway through the cup victory over Al-Ittihad and is a doubt for Thursday’s game.
Al-Taawoun possible starting lineup:
Mailson; Faqeehi, Girotto, Saluli, Al-Ghamdi; Mahzari, Flavio, Bahusayn; Mohammed, Al-Kuwaykibi, Pedro
Al-Hilal possible starting lineup:
Bono; Yasir Al-Shahrani, Ali Albulayhi, Kalidou Koulibaly, Saud Abdulhamid; Neves, Kanno; Al Tambakti, Maicon, Michael; Mitrovic
We say: Al-Taawoun X-Y Al-Hilal
While Al-Taawoun have put together a fine run of results in recent weeks, they are in for a tough 90 minutes against an Al-Hilal side who are currently firing on all cylinders. Jesus’s men have enjoyed the better of this fixture and we are backing them to extend their dominance over the hosts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.