Al-Ittihad vs Al-Khaleej Prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds

The Tigers are defiant to make it to the top of the league in their next outing.

Second-placed Al-Ittihad will take on struggling Al-Khaleej on 27th September in their next fixture of the Roshn Saudi League. The Tigers who are just behind Al-Hilal with nine points in four games will look to make the most of this opportunity if they want to reduce the deficit. Al-Hilal are currently placed at the top with 12 points playing the exact number of matches.

Coincidentally Laurent Blanc’s team also suffered their only league loss against Al-Hilal in their last game. The Nadi Al-Watan lost 3-1 in that match against the front-runners, the Blue Waves.

On the contrary, their opponents Al-Khaleej have a different story altogether. Out of their four games, Al-Khaleej have managed to win just one. The Saihat-based club have drawn one and lost the other two.

In fact Khaleej would probably be still reeling from their recent loss against Al-Tai in the King’s Cup. So the morale of these two teams will definitely be different ahead of this vital match. For the hosts it would be about catching Al-Hilal while for Khaleej it will be about breaking it into the top ten.

Kick-Off:

Friday, 27th September, 11:30 PM IST

Location: King Abdullah Sports City, Denmark, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Players to watch :

Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)

Former Real Madrid legend and now Ittihad’s target man Karim Benzema will undoubtedly be the player to watch out against Khaleej. Benzema is already the second-highest goal scorer this season with five goals to his name.

The Frenchman is well known for his ability to find the back of the net. His ability to find the right positions coupled with his unmatched finishing ability has made him one of the most sought after players in the world. Benzema joined Ittihad for a whooping salary of 100 million per season. His goal-scoring average has also increased this season.

Karim Benzema had scored nine goals in 24 club matches last season with an average of 0.38 goals per game. However, this time around his average per game has also increased to 0.71 goals per game.

Abdulla Al Salem ( Al-Khaleej)

Abdulla Al Salem can prove to be Al Khaleej’s saviour against powerhouse Ittihad in the upcoming match. Salem might not be a household name like Karim Benzema but he can be effective when it matters. The 31-year-old from Qatif is both experienced and a regular for Khaleej on the pitch.

In fact Al-Salem also scored in their last match against Al-Tai which unfortunately they lost. So if anyone can do it for the Khaleej it’s him. Ironically the 31-year-old is also a product of Khaleej’s youth academy. This is in fact his second stint with the club after his three-year deal with Al-Ettifaq from 2020-2023.

Match Facts :

• Al Khaleej have never won a match against Al-Ittihad
• In their last six meetings, Al Ittihad won four and drew two against Al-Khaleej
• Al-Ittihad beat Al- Khaleej 8-2 in 2007 which is their biggest win against them to date

Al-Ittihad vs Al-Khaleej: Betting Tips and Odds

• Al Ittihad are the favourites to win this match
• Ittihad have a 71% win percentage
• Al-Ittihad to score two or more goals

Injury and Team News

In the Al-Ittihad camp, Ahmed Sharahili and Luiz Felipe the two centre-backs will be missing action because of ligament tear and thigh problems respectively. Left-back Ahmed Bamsaud will also miss out as he is recovering from a cruciate ligament tear.

In the Al-Khaleej camp, there are no injury or suspension concerns and the team will come out at full strength.

Head-to-Head Record

Total matches – 14

Al-Ittihad won – 10

Al-Khaleej won – 0

Matches drawn – 4

Predicted Line-Up

Al Ittihad predicted line-up (4-2-3-1)

Rajkovic (GK), Kadesh, Pereira, Alamri, Al Shanqeeti; Fabinho, Kante; Bergwijn, Aouar, Diaby; Benzema

Al-Khaleej predicted line-up (4-2-3-1)

Sehic (GK); Al Hamsal, Tisserand, Al-Khabrani, Rebocho; Kourtbelis, Al-Sumairi; Narey, Fortunis, Martins; Al Salem

Match prediction for Al-Ittihad vs Al-Khaleej

Looking back at their previous records and what Ittihad have been able to do, it’s hard to bet against them after that. Over all, Al-Khaleej have never been able to get the better of Ittihad. This speaks volumes about Ittihad’s domination.

Under Laurent Blanc, the club’s star-studded line-up has flourished with the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Moussa Diaby, and Steven Bergwijn among others striking a different level of fear in the hearts of their opposition.

Prediction – Al Ittihad 2- 0 Al-Khaleej

Telecast for Al Ittihad vs Al-Khaleej

India –  Sony LIV, Sony Sports Network

UK – DAZN UK

US –  fuboTV, FOX Deportes

Nigeria – StarTimes App, Sporty TV

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