New boys Al Kholood, Al Orobah aim to thwart in-form, top-four pair | OneFootball

Matchweek 10 of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League kicks off on Thursday, with a couple of promoted sides welcoming top-four rivals and Al Qadsiah looking to build on their recent derby delight.

Here’s our matchday preview.

Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam - KICK-OFF 17:30

Al Qadsiah come into this encounter in great mood having prevailed in the Eastern Derby on Saturday night, when they defeated neighbours Al Ettifaq 2-0. As such, they sit fifth in the standings, two points off the top four.

Julian Quinones got the second against Al Ettifaq, meaning the Mexican has netted four goals in his past three outings, including both in the King’s Cup win at Al Wehda.

Al Fayha, meanwhile, have slowly turned around their poor start to the season. Christos Kontis’ side lost their opening three RSL games, but have since tasted defeat only once in eight across all competitions – to champions, and 2024-25 RSL leaders, Al Hilal.

Still, Al Fayha lie 16th in the table, really because they're winless in their past four in the league, with three draws. The odds may be stacked against them on Thursday, given they haven’t won in seven away matches in the RSL, although Al Qadsiah are attempting to break an unwelcome sequence, too: they have never won three on the bounce at home in the RSL.

Get your tickets for Al Qadsiah v Al Fayha HERE

King Abdullah Sport City, Buraidah - KICK-OFF 18:00

Thursday’s middle encounter will resonate especially with two RSL legends, as Al Kholood goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe goes up against former Al Ittihad teammate, and second on the RSL all-time goalscoring list, Abderrazak Hamdallah.

You’d imagine the Brazilian might be up against it in Buraidah, considering Al Kholood have won once in 10 games this season and are winless in their past six. However, much encouragement should’ve been extracted from their past two outings: they fought out a 3-3 draw with high-flying Al Nassr, then held Al Taawoun to a 1-1 draw away from home.

In Al Shabab, though, they take on a team currently only one point behind third-placed Al Nassr. What’s more, Vitor Pereira’s team have won three on the bounce – and seven of the past nine. Hamdallah got the second in the 3-1 win against Al Wehda last time out, moving him ever-so closer to Omar Al Somah’s all-time RSL record.

A weird quirk: the master Moroccan has not scored in his past four matches against newly promoted teams, having netted 15 from 15 games in the previous four seasons. Will that change versus RSL debutants Al Kholood?

Get your tickets for Al Kholood v Al Shabab HERE

Al Jouf University Stadium, Sakakah - KICK-OFF 20:00

The curtain comes down on Thursday in the far north of the Kingdom, where another newly promoted side also play host to a member of the current top four.

This time, it’s Al Orobah welcoming Al Ittihad to Sakakah, with Alvaro Pacheco’s side searching still for consistency upon their return to the top flight. The Portuguese has won three and lost three of his past six in the RSL, although the two most recent matchweeks have particularly stung: Al Orobah lost 3-0 at home to Al Shabab and then 4-0 at Al Okhdood.

The visit, then, of high-scoring Al Ittihad wouldn’t exactly be what the doctor ordered. The 2022-23 champions have won all but one of their nine RSL matches, and arrive at the match having seen off Jeddah rivals Al Ahli in Thursday’s Sea Derby.

Mercifully for Al Orobah, there’s no Karim Benzema for Al Ittihad to call upon – the captain, whose eight league goals this term is bettered only by Aleksandar Mitrovic, is injured – but there remains the likes of derby winner Saleh Al Shehri, playmaker Houssem Aouar, and wingers Moussa Diaby and Steven Bergwijn.

Indeed, Al Ittihad’s 24 points from the opening nine rounds represents their second-highest tally at this stage in the RSL, second only to their 25 points in 2008-09. And another little motivation: a win will fire Laurent Blanc’s team top of the table.