OK, it's crunch time. Ahead of us this week is an 8 day period that is the culmination of the season for both Ittihad and Hilal. All will be decided domestically in this critical week, plus there is the second battlefront that is the ACL. The schedule: Sat 4/4 (Saudi League) Hilal v Ittifaq - Riyadh Wehda v Ittihad - Mecca Tue 7/4 (ACL) Jazira v Ittihad - Abu dhabi Hilal v Ahli (UAE) - Riyadh Sun 12/4 (Saudi League) Hilal v Ittihad - Riyadh The tables: Saudi League 1. Ittihad pld 20 , pts 49 , gd +33 2. Hilal pld 20 , pts 47 , gd +31 3. Ahli pld 19 , pts 33 , gd +11 head to head: Ittihad drew 0-0 with Hilal in Jeddah. ACL group A 1. Pakhtakor pld 2 , pts 4 , gd +1 2. Hilal pld 2 , pts 2 , gd 0 2. Saba pld 2 , pts 2 , gd 0 4. Ahli pld 2 , pts 1 , gd -1 head to head: Hilal drew 1-1 with Saba in Riyadh ACL group C 1. Ittihad pld 2 , pts 6 , gd +3 2. Umm Salal pld 2 , pts 3 , gd -1 2. Esteghlal pld 2 , pts 1 , gd -1 4. Jazira pld 2 , pts 1 , gd -1 Scary huh? Ittihad have the advantage of leading the table both domestically and continentally, but have the disadvantage of playing away and an inferior head to head. Hilal have the head to head, and playing at home. It's on a knife edge.
Faisal Cup isn't a problem. It's this "King's Cup" that needs to go. Ittihad is going to win the league without too much trouble. Hilal's coach just arrived a few days before the biggest week of the season and has ZERO knowledge of Saudi football. I can't possibly see how he can't mess up.
You're right.. but who knows why maybe there is a reason behind this.. I just blame the FA for what they did to Cosmin!
Khala9 bro we discussed the Cosmin decision to death last month. I don't want to go into the rights and wrongs again. But at the same time, we can't ignore that Hilal has been basically coachless for the past month. Of course, Hilal could have still lost in Cosmin's presence, but there is no doubt that the coaching situation has seriously hurt our chances. بس تدري؟ راح علينا بيسيرو. لو هم أقالوا كوزمين قبل ما يطيرون الجوهر كان تحصله يدرب الهلال الحين . يالله الدنيا أرزاق.
^ ^ ^ Do you know when Khalid Aziz will be back by the way? That could be another huge factor, especially since I hear Radoi picked up a knock with Romania.
Al Hilal kicked him btw.. while we were topping the league! the team won 9 matches in a row with him btw!
Yeah I know. The idara didn't like his tashkilah that's why (plus Paqueta had just been fired by Sultan ibn Fahad). But I think if he was available Al-Hilal would have brought him back.
Exactly! I hope Al-Ghannam will be ready by then, and hopefully the Radoi injury isn't serious. They used Al-Ghamdi and Al-Khathran against Wehda, and Al-Ghamdi wasn't able to finish the match and asked to be subbed out!
and then the national team will tell Al Hilal that they need him.. so if he refused he will get kicked by the FA!!
Al Ghamdi is slow.. Ghannam looks good but he needs another support from Radoi or Aziz.. Al Khathran is too old man!!
He's not slow, he's OLD! He couldn't last 60 minutes against Wehda. By the way HiJazzey you forgot to mention something very important: This Saturday if Ittihad win their match and Hilal don't then Ittihad will officially win the league.
Man.. I can't imagine Al Hilal lose to Ettifaq! i hope we trash'em 3-0, then we can deal with Ittihad in the final match!
Hell would freeze over if Ittifaq win, although I hope they do of course. A dreaded repeat of last year where you win on head to head is very much on the cards though.
What I meant was that this is the first round in which the title could actually be decided officially. I wasn't talking about what scenario was most likely. Regarding Ettifaq, they don't need to win. A draw is enough, and we've seen throughout this season that it isn't that difficult to draw with Al-Hilal. As for head-to-head, that will only come into play if Hilal loses and Ittihad draws (making the gap 3 pts). All other outcomes will lead to the title being decided on points, even on the final day, but I guess effectively there's not much difference. If Ittihad draw and Hilal win (very unlikely), then they'll be equal on points. In that case, a draw in the last match will lead to a play-off.
yeah forget that bit from my post. But I still can't see anything other than a Hilal win tomorrow. It's blatantly gonna go down to the match between the two teams. But if Ittifaq do get a result, I'll be their biggest fan. Bashir FTW !
today is hilals new coach first match ...he will simply put the best players in to the field and surely hilal will win...if saudi league guarantees first 4 in afc champions league then it might be diffucult for hilal... as for ittihad and wehda most like win for ittihad but they have to sweat like what hilal did in there privous match against wehda...wehda is a strong team but only most in home ground..