Preview: Al-Taawoun vs Al Riyadh - prediction, team news, lineups

Al Taawoun host Al Riyadh on Friday evening in a Saudi Pro League matchday 33 fixture at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, with two sides at completely opposite ends of the table squaring off.

While the hosts are chasing a top-five finish in the final weeks of the campaign, their visitors arrive in desperate need of points to preserve their top-flight status.

Match preview

Sitting sixth with 52 points and level with Al Ittihad, who have a game in hand, Al Taawoun will fancy their chances of climbing to fifth with just two matches remaining in the season.

Pericles Chamusca’s men head into Friday’s game on the back of a 2-1 home defeat to third-placed Al Ahli on Monday, in which Ivan Toney and Roger Ibanez scored for the visitors before Angelo Fulgini pulled one back for the hosts.

Playing their second successive home game, Al Taawoun will be eager to return to winning ways, having lost three of their last five league outings, though their recent home record gives little cause for confidence.

Chamusca’s side have accumulated 25 points at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium this season from seven wins, four draws and five defeats, conceding 23 goals at home - more than the 20 they have shipped on the road.

Al Taawoun have also failed to win six of their last seven league fixtures at home, raising further questions about their ability to get the job done in front of their own supporters.

That said, the opportunity to move above Al Ittihad into fifth place should serve as motivation, and Chamusca will know that two wins from two remaining games could yet deliver a strong finish to the campaign.

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Al Riyadh, by contrast, arrive rooted in 16th place and deep in a relegation battle, knowing that only victories in their final two games are likely to keep them in the Saudi Pro League.

A 1-0 win over Al Fateh in their last outing, courtesy of a Mamadou Sylla goal, provided a timely confidence boost, and that result represented just the second win in their last five matches and only the sixth of their entire league campaign.

Mauricio Dulac’s side have recorded two wins, no draws and three defeats in their last five matches, and remarkably, they are yet to win back-to-back league games at any point this season.

Their away record makes for grim reading too, with only two wins, three draws and 11 defeats on the road all season - a return of just nine points from their travels.

Victory on Friday would move Al Riyadh to 29 points and out of the relegation zone, provided Damac fail to win their own fixture, with the two clubs currently level on 26 points but separated by goal difference - Damac sit at -23, Al Riyadh at -29.

The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in a 3-1 victory for Al Taawoun, and across the last five head-to-head encounters, the hosts have won two, Al Riyadh have won two, and one match has ended in a draw.

Al-Taawoun Saudi Pro League form:

Al Riyadh Saudi Pro League form:

Team News

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Al Taawoun will be looking to forward Roger Martinez, who has netted 22 goals this season, to lead the charge as they bid to climb the table in the closing stages of the campaign.

Midfielder Angelo Fulgini, who scored against Al Ahli on Monday, will also be central to the hosts’ attacking play alongside Mohammed Al Kuwaykibi.

Andrei Girotto, Qassem Lajami and Mohammed Al Dossari are expected to feature in defence, offering Chamusca a settled backline to build from.

Aschraf El Mahdioui is likely to feature in midfield, with Flavio Silva also expected to play a role in the engine room as the hosts look to control the tempo.

Al Riyadh will rely heavily on the goals of Mamadou Sylla, who has contributed 10 this season, and the creativity of Toze, who has registered eight goals from midfield.

Milan Borjan is expected to start in goal, with Marzouq Tambakti and Yoann Barbet continuing at the heart of the defence, while Victor Lekhal, Ahmed Al Siyahi and Leandro Antunes are set to provide support in the middle of the park.

Al-Taawoun possible starting lineup:

Maylson; Petkov, Al Dossari, Lajami, Girotto, Mahzari; Fulgini, El Mahdioui, Silva, Al Kuwaykibi; Martinez

Al Riyadh possible starting lineup:

Borjan; Hazazi, Barbet, Tambakti, Sergio; Antunes, Al Siyahi, Lekhal, Toze; Sylla, Okou

We say: Al-Taawoun 2-1 Al Riyadh

With only two away wins all season and yet to record back-to-back league victories at any point in the campaign, Al Riyadh look unlikely to leave with anything from this one.

The hosts have enough in the tank to see off a struggling side and a narrow home win looks the most likely outcome.

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