After the race was limited to the last breath

The Saudi League champion is determined tonight... Al Hilal or Al Ittihad

Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad are in an exciting and historic competition for the Saudi League title.

À from the source

The curtain falls on the Saudi Football League, with the holding of the last 30 stage matches, today (at 22:00 UAE time), which will determine the identity of the champion, after the last race of light was limited to Al-Hilal, the leader and runner-up Al-Ittihad, while the battle raged between several clubs to avoid relegation.

The competitions were suspended for about 25 days due to the national team camp in Spain in preparation for the World Cup finals at the end of this year in Qatar and the participation of the Olympic team in the AFC U-23 Cup, which won its title, before it resumed last week.

Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad are equal on points (64) at the top of the standings, but Al-Hilal leads at the expense of its opponent thanks to the two direct matches (two wins), so the two teams realize that any stumble will destroy their hopes of achieving the title.

Al Hilal seeks to celebrate with its fans the third consecutive league title and the 18th in its history, when it receives Al Faisaly at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, in a match that will not be without excitement due to its importance in light of the desire of each team to reap the three points despite the difference in goals and ambitions.

One last step

Al-Hilal, the record holder in the number of league wins, needs to win any result to settle the title, while Al-Faisaly hopes to snatch the points and decide to stay without waiting for the results of the rest of his competitors.

Al Hilal continued its series of victories in the recent period, achieving its fifth victory in a row and with a great result at the expense of Al-Fateh 3-0 in the last round, and aspires to collect the three points to officially settle the title in its favour, without considering the result of its direct pursuit and runner-up Al-Ittihad, with whom he has equal points.

Argentinian Ramon Dias, the coach of Al Hilal, misses defenders Ali Al-Bilahi and Korean Jang Hyun-soo, and Colombian midfielder Gustavo Cuellar is suspended, to join the list of injured players.

Al-Faisaly, who is threatened with relegation, occupies 11th place with 33 points, two points ahead of the first relegated, hopes to seize the victory to ensure survival, especially as he plays the match with complete ranks, while a loss or a draw will force him to wait for the results of the rest of his competitors to know his fate.

There is no alternative to winning

On the other hand, Al-Ittihad must beat its sub-guest, and at the same time wait for Al Hilal to lose or draw to win the title for the first time in 12 years and the eighth in its history.

Al-Ittihad regained its balance after three consecutive matches, during which it scored only an orphan point, and subsequently lost the lead, but it maintained its chances of competing for the title after winning Al-Ettifaq 3-1 in the last stage.

Al-Ittihad is missing the services of its Portuguese player, Andre Felipe, who is suspended, but it has distinguished names in all lines, such as the Egyptian Ahmed Hegazy, the Brazilian quadruple Marcelo Grohe, Bruno Henrique, Cornado and Romarinho, who is competing for the top scorer title.

Romanian coach Cosmin Contra said that his team desperately needed to win "after the poor results due to the postponement of the league matches more than once."

He added, "We played four matches in three and a half months, and this is not easy, especially since the team lost the competitive style. However, we will try to grab the title in the last round."

As for Al-Batin, the 13th-placed player (32 points), hopes for a victory that will lead him to safety, or at least a draw, and wait for the results of his pursuers.

The struggle to avoid relegation

Al-Ahly hopes to avoid the imminent relegation when it faces its host Al Shabab in a match that will be widely watched as it determines the fate of one of the pillars of Saudi football who has not previously been relegated to the first division.

Al-Ahly, the 2016 champion, fell to 14th place with 31 points, while Al-Shabab ranked fourth with 54 points.

Al-Ittifaq is in the penultimate position with 31 points, which has not lost any league match, against its host Al-Fayha Seventh (35) for the three points and a lifeline.

Al-Fayhaa, the King's Cup champion, succeeded in returning from Abha with a tie point in the last stage, which was enough not to be relegated, and he will try to achieve his first victory after four matches.

Al-Tai, ninth with 34 points, is looking for one point to ensure survival when Al-Hazm faces the bottom and the first descendants (17 points) at Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaed bin Jalawi Stadium in Hail.

Al-Taawon, the tenth (33 points), sets the three points as its goal when it meets its host, Dhamk Fifth (43).

Al-Taawoun continued its late awakening and imposed a 1-1 draw on Al-Shabab in the last stage after beating Al-Batin and Al-Fayhaa.

Al-Raed is looking forward to crossing Abha to tighten his grip on his fate, as he occupies 12th place with 33 points, while Abha occupies eighth place with 35 points.

Al-Raed strengthened his chances of staying after he played a big match against Al-Ahly in Jeddah and crowned his effort with three goals in the last round.

For his part, the guarantor of victory for third place (58 points) aspires to end the season on the beat of winning when it hosts Al-Fateh Sixth (35) in a match whose outcome will not affect both teams.

Saudi League top rankings

Al Hilal 64 points

Union 64 points

Victory 58 points

Youth 54 points

Al-Ittihad is required to beat Al-Batin and wait for Al-Hilal to stumble in front of Al-Faisaly.

"The Leader" outperforms the "Eti" by the difference of direct confrontations.

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