Al-Hilal vs Al-Raed

Al Hilal and Al Raed are set to compete for three points in a Saudi Professional League showdown on Sunday.

Al Hilal enters the match following a remarkable 3-1 comeback victory over Sepahan in the first leg of their AFC Champions League round-of-16 clash. Despite initially trailing due to Ramin Rezaeian's goal in the 37th minute, Al Hilal turned the game around in the second half with goals from Malcom, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Abdullah Al Hamdan.

Switching their focus back to domestic competition, Al Hilal's previous league fixture ended with a 2-0 away triumph over Al Feiha in December 2023.

On the other hand, Al Raed secured maximum points in their recent outing with a thrilling 4-3 comeback win against Abha at home. Despite Hassan Al Ali's first-half brace giving Abha a 2-1 lead at halftime, Al Raed staged a comeback in the second half, with goals from Mohammed Fouzair, Karim El Berkaoui, and Oumar Gonzalez securing the victory.

This win propelled Al Raed to 13th place in the league table, amassing 19 points from 19 games. Meanwhile, Al Hilal sits comfortably at the top of the table with 53 points to their credit.

The two parties will meet for the 39th time on this occasion. Al Hilal has won 32 games; five of the games resulted in draws, and Al Raed has only won once.In their most recent match, Al Hilal prevailed 4-0 on the road in August 2023.Al Hilal has won 26 games in a row, including the last 21 straight, during their current 28-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.In their last 16 away games (10 losses), Al Raed have only managed one victory.In ten home league games, Al Hilal has only let up three goals.

Al Hilal is now leading the league by seven points and is coasting to victory. The team of Jorge Jesus seems unbeatable and has lost all sense of defeat.

It doesn't appear that Al Raed will pose much of a danger to their hosts' 21-game winning streak.

Al Hilal aims to solidify their position at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings as they prepare to host Al Raed in their upcoming match. Al Raed currently occupies the 13th position after 19 rounds, trailing Al Hilal by a significant 34-point margin. Al Hilal has been the dominant force this season, with Jorge Jesus' squad maintaining an undefeated record in the league, winning 17 out of their 19 fixtures.

Their remarkable form extends beyond the league, as they come into this match on the back of 21 consecutive victories across all competitions. In their recent Champions League fixture, Al Hilal secured an impressive 3-1 away win against Iran's Sepahan in the first leg of the round of 16 tie. Notably, Al Hilal comfortably defeated Al Raed 4-0 in their previous encounter in August, further extending their unbeaten streak against their opponents.

Conversely, Al Raed has struggled against Al Hilal, failing to secure a victory since 2013 and losing 20 out of the 23 matches during this period. Given Al Hilal's exceptional form, it is expected to be another challenging match for Al Raed. Under the leadership of Igor Jovicevic, Al Raed had a difficult first leg of the season, managing only five wins while suffering 10 losses, placing them among the teams with the highest number of defeats before the mid-season break.

However, Al Raed showed signs of improvement before the break, securing victories in their last two matches against defending champions Al Ittihad and Abha, with scores of 3-1 and 4-3 respectively. With 19 points accumulated so far, Al Raed sits just two points above the relegation zone and will be eager to build on their recent successes as they face the formidable challenge posed by Al Hilal.