Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Saudi Pro League clash between Al-Hilal and Al Fateh, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Third-placed Al-Hilal will welcome Al-Fateh to the Kingdom Arena in their Gameweek nine encounter in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.
The Blue Waves are unbeaten after eight league matches, and they will be looking to extend that run, while the visiting side will be aiming to register their first victory in three league games.
Match preview
Al-Hilal recorded a 4–2 victory over Al-Najma to record their sixth win since the start of the 2025–26 season after eight outings in the Saudi top division.
Simone Inzaghi’s team made hard work of the contest, coming back twice before finally cementing their victory with two late goals.
That triumph extended their winning run to five matches on the bounce, and 10 across all competitions – a run which their Italian manager will be pleased with.
Currently third in the standings, a point behind Al-Taawoun and four behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, the Blue Power could rise to second in the table before Al-Taawoun confronts Neom at home on Sunday.
Fans of the capital will be confident in their team’s ability to earn another victory, considering that they have won their last five meetings, scoring 22 goals and conceding five in that run.
Their home record makes the chances of a victory for the home side more likely, having won their last four matches in their territory.
Al-Fateh finished in 15th place in the 2024–25 campaign, and they would have hoped for a better start to the current season.
However, the Role Model have been experiencing a difficult start to the season, managing a win, two draws, and five losses.
The latest loss came at the hands of second-placed Al-Taawoun, who handed the visitors a 5–2 thrashing right in front of their fans.
Sitting just above the relegation places, Jose Gomes’s team will be desperate to register a win, which would be their first since defeating Al-Ettifaq 2–1 in late October.
Although unlikely, a victory on Saturday could take the visitors as high as 12th position, provided that other results of teams in and around them go their way.
Their away performance could be a source of worry for the travelling fans, as their team have managed only one victory away from home in their last five outings, with the other outcomes being two draws and a couple of losses.
Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League form:
Al-Hilal form (all competitions):
Al Fateh Saudi Pro League form:
Al Fateh form (all competitions):
Team News
Al-Hilal have only a few injury issues coming into this contest, but they have enough players available for this fixture, and the manager is likely to send out the same team from their last match.
However, this contest will come too soon for centre-back Ali Lajami, who is currently out with a hamstring injury, and he is not expected to be back until December.
Similarly, fellow defender Moteb Al-Harbi is stricken with a hamstring problem, and so is Hamad Al-Yami, who has sat out three matches.
Although Fernando Pacheco conceded five goals in his last appearance for the visitors, he is expected to maintain his position between the sticks.
Marwane Saadane, Naif Masoud and Oliveira Fernandes made up the back three in the loss to Al-Taawoun, but they remain in line to play in front of Pacheco.
In attack, Mourad Batna and Matías Vargas found the back of the net last time out, and they will be sure picks, along with Cameroonian forward Karl Toko Ekambi, to complete the front three.
Al-Hilal possible starting lineup:
Bono; Akcicerk, Al Harbi, Tambakti, Hernandez; Al Dawsari, S. Al Dawsari, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic; Malcolm, Marcos Leonardo
Al Fateh possible starting lineup:
Pacheco; Saadane, Fernandes, Masoud; Al Anazi, Bendebka, Youssouf, Baattia; Toko Ekambi, Batna, Vargas
We say: Al-Hilal 4-1 Al Fateh
Al-Hilal are one of the best attacking teams in the league, and their record of 22 goals in eight fixtures is the third-best in the Saudi top flight.
That, vis-a-vis the poor defence of the visiting side, which makes them the team with the second-worst rearguard record so far, we are backing the home side to claim a 4–1 win.
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