Preview: Al Riyadh vs. Al Fayha - prediction, team news, lineups

Al Riyadh will be looking to end a four-match losing run when they welcome Al Fayha to Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on Friday night in the Saudi Pro League.

The hosts are struggling at the foot of the table heading into this weekend's clash, while Al Fayha are also without a win in over four matches at the start of the new season.

Match preview

Al Riyadh's losing run in the Saudi Pro League extended to four matches last Friday with a 6-1 defeat against current league leaders Al Hilal at a venue where both sides play their home fixtures.

Salem Al-Dawsari put in a stellar performance for Al Hilal - managing to bag a clinical brace - while former Fulham marksman Aleksandar Mitrovic got on the scoresheet to make it five goals in four matches since moving from Craven Cottage in the summer.

Yannick Ferrera's men sit 16th in the Pro League standings after collecting a mere four points from their opening six contests in the 2023-24 term, with only Damac and Al Hazem earning fewer in the maiden weeks of the campaign.

Friday's hosts have an issue at the back, with Al Riyadh conceding an eye-watering 16 goals in their first six games - three more than any other side in the division.

Hoping to fire in the goals at the other end for Ferrera's side is Jamaica international Andre Gray, who made the summer switch from Greek outfit Aris Thessaloniki on a free transfer.

Al Fayha come into this clash after a disappointing start to their AFC Champions League campaign on Tuesday night, losing 1-0 away at the Asgabat Stadiony against Ahal of Turkmenistan.

Things have not been working so great domestically either for the visitors, and apart from an opening-day success over Al Khaleej on August 12, Vuk Rasovic's men have not picked up a victory.

Sitting 10th in the league standings after earning six points from as many games, Al Fayha will be targeting Friday night as an ideal time to collect their second maximum of the term, especially considering that they face title-chasing Al Ittihad next week.

Familiar faces to supporters of European football are pretty common within the Al Fayha ranks, with Henry Onyekuru and Fashion Sakala both moving their careers to the Middle East in recent years.

Former Rangers man Sakala scored the opener when Rasovic's men earned a respectable draw at Neymar's Al Hilal earlier in the season, with that point in Riyadh being their only positive result away from home this campaign.

Team News

Al Riyadh remain without the services of 26-year-old Zaid Al Bawardi this Friday, with the goalkeeper yet to feature for the club since making the switch from Al Shabab in the summer transfer window.

The absence of the former Al Nassr man will mean that Martin Campana will regain his place in between the sticks despite a challenging start to the term - the Uruguayan will be aiming to keep his second clean sheet of the season.

Knowledge Musona is a talismanic figure for his national side Zimbabwe, and the 33-year-old will be hoping to have the same impact at Al Riyadh after moving from Al Taee back in June.

Al Fayha have an injury concern in defence ahead of Friday's match, with centre-back Husein Al Shuwaish being forced off at half time in the defeat to Al Shabab last time out in the Pro League.

Mokher Alrashidi played the second half alongside compatriot Sami Al Khaibari in that loss to Juan Ignacio Brown's men, and that pairing is expected to line up from the offset in this one.

Al Riyadh possible starting lineup:

Campana; Shuwayyi, Arslanagic, Shwirekh, Khaibari; Toure, Ndong, Harajan, Musona, Juanmi; Gray

Al Fayha possible starting lineup:

Stojkovic; Baqawi, Khaibari, Alrashidi, Konan; Ryller, Mandash, Cimirot, Sabiri, Onyekuru; Sakala

We say: Al Riyadh 1-1 Al Fayha

Al Riyadh have struggled to contain some of the Pro League's better outfits over the past month, but a home tie with Al Fayha represents an opportunity to earn at least a point.

That being said, the visitors will view this contest as one they must win if they have ambitions of challenging at the top end of the standings, although we are expecting a share of the spoils on Friday night.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.