Al Wehda need to flip fortunes, RSL surprise packages host champions | OneFootball

Matchweek 11 of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League continues on Saturday, with the side second from bottom hoping to finally turn around their poor season, while Georgios Donis puts his in-form Al Khaleej up against his all-conquering former club.

Here’s our matchday preview.

King Abdullah Sport City, Buraidah - KICK-OFF 16:20

Saturday’s earliest kick off of the season thus far throws up a clash between the teams placed 11th and 13th in the standings; in fact, Al Raed are currently ahead of their visitors by a single point.

The Buraidah side come into the match on the back of successive defeats in the RSL, where they conceded six goals in total without reply. They will point to the fact, though, that both those games – against Al Khaleej and Al Ahli – were away. And previous to that, Al Raed have begun to show some form: Odair Hellmann’s men were unbeaten in three in the league, with two wins – the first of which came at Al Ettifaq.

For promoted side Al Orobah, their only positive result in the past five RSL outings came also against Steven Gerrard’s team, the 3-2 victory in Dammam in Matchweek 7. The other four games, however, have ended in defeat.

Cristian Tello remains the only Al Orobah forward firing the moment. The former Barcelona attacker, signed in the summer following a productive 2023-24 season at Al Fateh, has four goals in seven league appearances for his new employers.

Get your tickets for Al Raed v Al Orobah HERE

Al Wehda v Al Taawoun

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

Safe to say it’s been a hugely difficult start to the season for Al Wehda and new manager Josef Zinnbauer. The Mecca side have a solitary win in the 2024-25 RSL – and that was secured in Matchweek 2, at home to Al Orobah.

Since, it’s made for miserable reading: Al Wehda have lost six and drawn two of their past eight to sit second from bottom. Having entered this month’s international break reeling from three successive defeats, including two at home, they will hope they can finally find some momentum now the league has resumed.

In contrast, Al Taawoun lie seventh, with manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena performing a lot better than his Al Wehda counterpart in his debut RSL campaign. As it is, the Buraidah club have tasted defeat only twice in their past 11 matches across all competitions, winning six.

Al Taawoun are unbeaten in their four most recent fixtures, which includes a superb 1-0 triumph at Al Nassr in the King’s Cup last 16. They will feel also that they possess the weapons to add to Al Wehda’s woes, especially in Musa Barrow. The forward has four goals in his past five RSL games.

Get your tickets for Al Wehda v Al Taawoun HERE

Al Khaleej v Al Hilal

Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam - KICK-OFF 20:00

Saturday’s action rounds off with a hugely interesting encounter on the east coast, where in-form surprise packages Al Khaleej welcome league leaders, and reigning RSL champions, Al Hilal.

The Saihat club have been one of the stories of the season so far, with four wins from their past five league matches, including victories in three straight games before the FIFA break. Abdullah Al Salem has been key to that remarkable run: the Saudi Arabian striker has four goals in his past two RSL appearances, and five in all.

Of course, manager Georgios Donis has overseen the recent surge and adds another layer of intrigue to this one given he used to manage Al Hilal, between 2015 and 2016.

That Al Hilal, though, may feel markedly different to the one that arrives in Dammam this weekend. Now managed by the irrepressible Jorge Jesus, the capital club are unbeaten in an incredible 47 RSL matches – a sequence that dates back to May last year.

And, after last season’s “invincible” title success, Al Hilal have been just as impregnable this campaign: they have won nine of 10 RSL games, with the only blemish the still-commendable 1-1 draw in the Capital Derby at Al Nassr in Matchweek 9.