Saudi Pro League top 2 Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad stunned

RIYADH: Three clubs — Al-Wehda, Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah — will be fighting relegation during the Saudi Pro League (Roshn League) final round on Monday with matches being played simultaneously.

Two out of the three clubs will join Al-Raed, who have already been relegated to the first division. As things stand, Al-Wehda is in 15th place with 33 points, Al-Akhdood is in 16th place with 31 points and Al-Orobah is in 17th place with 30 points.

Al-Wehda will stay in the league if they win or draw against Al-Ettifaq in Dammam. A loss means they will need both Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah to also lose or draw.

Al-Akhdood must beat Al-Khaleej and hope that Al-Wehda lose, as that would keep Al-Akhdood in the SPL for another new season.

Al-Orobah has the most difficult task. They need to beat Al-Taawoun in Al-Jouf and then hope that both Al-Wehda and Al-Akhdood lose. If that happens, Al-Orobah will move above Al-Akhdood in points and tie with Al-Wehda.

In that case, Al-Orobah would survive because they have a better head-to-head record against Al-Wehda — losing the first match 2–1 but winning the second 4–2.

RIYADH: In their first match since clinching the Saudi Pro League title last week, Al-Ittihad celebrated with a 3-2 win at Al-Shabab on Tuesday, their final away game of the season.

French winger Moussa Diaby took center stage, scoring two memorable goals that put the champions-elect in control, the first of which came in the opening minute. The former Aston Villa player, who arrived in Jeddah last summer, picked up possession on the right wing, cut inside the area and then, from a tight angle, fired an unstoppable shot into the opposite top corner.

His second, just after the half-hour mark, was delightful in its simplicity. Steven Bergwijn, still inside his own half, lifted the ball over the Riyadh defense to Diaby, who in turn lifted it over the goalkeeper, who was stranded outside his area.

Al-Shabab hit back in added time before the break through Yannick Carrasco, who controlled a Musab Al-Juwayr cross at the far post and fired home from close range.

Just before the hour mark, however, Bergwijn restored Al-Ittihad’s two-goal cushion. As the visitors streamed forward on the counter, N’Golo Kante fed the Dutchman on the left side, who produced another fine finish with a first-time shot.

That was not quite the end of the matter, though. Midway through the second half, Cristian Guanca made it 3-2, the Argentine heading home from close range after Daniel Podence hung a cross invitingly in the air.

Al-Shabab could not get another, however, and so Al-Ittihad recorded a sixth-successive win, which moved them nine points clear of second-place Al-Hilal, who travel to Al-Wehda on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Al-Qadsiah strengthened their grip on third place, and a spot in the AFC Champions League Two, with a 3-1 home victory over relegation battlers Al-Orubah. Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang contributed two late strikes that put him on 17 goals for the season. Julian Quinones delivered the opener, the Mexican marksman’s 20th league goal of the campaign.

Al-Qadsiah are now four points clear of fourth-place Al-Nassr, who will have a chance to close the gap when they play host to Al-Khaleej on Wednesday, after which there will be just one round of games left to play.