Potential Disruption to Leadership: Examination of Threat from External Sources
November 25, it's a showdown at King Abdullah Stadium between Al-Hazm and Al-Hilal for the 14th round of the Saudi Arabia League.
- Al-Hazm
- Al-Hilal
- The Skinny
- Bookie Chatter
- Expert Opinions
Al-Hazm
Positives: The team's attack has been on fire recently
Negatives: The leakiest defense in the championship
José Daniel Carreño's boys are on a roll in attack, with nary a stumble since late August—in some games, they score more than once. But during that same period, their defense is like a leaky dam ready to burst—fires keep breaking out that they can't seem to douse. Al-Hazm's only victory in the championship was in late October—a narrow 4:3 against table neighbors Al-Raed. It's a question of how they plan on topping that against the season leader.
Al-Hilal
Strengths: Currently, the most balanced team in play, both in attack and defense
Weaknesses: None worth mentioning, really.
Jose Mourinho's squad is the cream of the crop in the Saudi League, period. Initially, they were unstoppable, scoring left and right, but lately? They've been more about defense, keeping opponents at bay. Their defense is the gold standard since September 21st—they've only conceded one more goal since then, to Al Ahli in a 3-1 victory. The injury of Brazilian star Neymar hasn't dinted their game—they've been cruising along, thanks to the mastery of Malcom, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves, and other ace players.
The Skinny
- Al Hilal hasn't conceded a goal in 10 out of the last 11 matches in the season
- Al Hazm has the most porous defense in the league, allowing over four times as many goals as Al Hilal
- In the last seven championship matches, Al Hazm has conceded at least two goals per game
Bookie Chatter
In the Fonbet bookmaker's office, the odds for Al Hilal's victory are 1.08. A draw is valued at 9.50, and Al Hazm's victory is at 21.00.
Al Hazm - Al Hilal
P1 1.08 X 9.50 P2 21.00
Expert Opinions
The leader's victory in this match is all but a given, but the real question is the scoreline. Al-Hazm's attack might help them score a couple of goals, but Al-Hilal's defense has been unyielding, almost impenetrable since late September. If Al-Hazm can hold their own in attack, the total score might not exceed 3.5, but my money's on Al-Hilal.
- Al-Hazm may struggle to score more than once against Al-Hilal's solid defense, given their recent offensive prowess and the defensive form of the league leaders.
- Despite having the most porous defense in the league, Al-Hazm's attack, particularly Jose Daniel Carreño's boys, could pose a threat to Al-Hilal's unyielding defense.
- Al-Hilal's impressive defensive record, with 10 clean sheets in the last 11 matches, makes it unlikely that Al-Hazm will score more than once in the King Abdullah Stadium showdown.
- Al-Hazm's offensive strength, which has seen them score more than once in several games since late August, might help them secure a few goals against Al-Hilal, despite the latter's defensive excellence.
- European-leagues giants like Malcom, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Ruben Neves could capitalize on Al-Hazm's leaky defense, potentially leading to a high-scoring victory for Al-Hilal in the Premier League.
