After 696 days, can Al-Hilal finally break Al-Ahli’s clasico hold? | OneFootball

Al-Hilal face Al-Ahli on Tuesday evening in a postponed third-round Roshn League clasico, carrying a 696-day wait for a win in normal time into a meeting that could break the run.

According to Goal.com, the rivals clash in a rescheduled third-round tie, with Al-Hilal still seeking a first normal-time victory since 5 October 2024.

That day brought a 2-1 Roshn League win, after which five meetings yielded no success in normal time, two Al-Ahli wins and three draws. One was last season's Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup semi-final, which Al-Hilal edged on penalties.

The struggle extended to Asia, where Al-Ahli beat them 3-1 in the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League Elite semi-final, a result that has underpinned a recent psychological edge.

This clasico arrives amid different dynamics. Al-Hilal sense an opening, while Al-Ahli have been unsettled by departures of Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessie and coach Matthias Jaissle, forcing early-season rebuilding.

A 3-1 defeat to Al-Khaleej in the last round deepened scrutiny and pressure. If Al-Hilal start fast and exploit the spaces and errors now visible in Al-Ahli’s game, the balance could tilt.

That approach carries risk. Al-Ahli know how to face Al-Hilal and have floored them before even when the blue side were strong, so leaning only on turbulence could be a trap.

Beyond three points, ending this run would deliver a sizeable psychological lift and a statement to domestic rivals. Equally, Al-Ahli may use underdog status as fuel to restore belief against historic opposition.

Source: Goal.com

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