Sand King’s Crown Preview: Al-Hazem Undefeated in League, Pioli Leads Riyadh Victory to Rebound

At 23:35 on the evening of September 23rd, the first round of the Saudi Arabian King’s Cup will see Al-Hazem host the visiting Riyadh Victory. At the start of the new season, Riyadh Victory has accumulated 8 points with 2 wins and 2 draws, temporarily ranking 5th in the Saudi Professional League. Al-Hazem has 10 points with 3 wins and 1 draw, currently ranking 3rd in the Saudi First Division.

Al-Hazem has had a good start, defeating Tay 2-1 in the last round. In the four games of the new season, they have maintained an undefeated record with 3 wins and 1 draw. If they can maintain this momentum, Al-Hazem is expected to return to the Saudi Professional League. Of course, their season is still long, and the stability and depth of the team will be key factors in determining their success this season.

Riyadh Victory has just completed a coaching change, with former AC Milan manager Pioli officially taking over. His first match in charge was a strong confrontation against Dammam Cooperation led by Gerrard. Ultimately, Riyadh Victory easily defeated their opponents 3-0, starting a new chapter with a resounding victory. This is the only clean sheet they have kept in the past five games. Cristiano Ronaldo, Talisca, and Salem all scored. Even more encouragingly, Mane, who was initially rumored to be leaving the club at the beginning of the season, provided two assists despite not scoring himself. So far this season, the Senegalese player has contributed four assists.

Data shows that these two teams have met 23 times, with Riyadh Victory having 14 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses, holding an absolute advantage. In the last five encounters, Riyadh Victory has won 4 times and drawn once, with Al-Hazem’s goal being breached a total of 17 times, averaging 3.4 goals conceded per game, demonstrating the clear gap in strength between the two teams. Talisca alone has scored five of those goals.

The attacking ability of Riyadh Victory in the Saudi league is on par with Riyadh Al-Hilal, standing alone in its class. Last season, they scored a total of 100 goals. Entering the new season, this momentum has been slightly curtailed, but it will inevitably return, given the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Talisca, and Mane as formidable front-line players. On the other hand, Al-Hazem’s defensive capabilities are poor, conceding 76 goals last season, often serving as a means for stronger teams to rack up goal differences. While they may dominate in the Saudi First Division, when facing the giants of the Saudi Professional League, Al-Hazem may find themselves playing second fiddle.

Last season, Riyadh Victory made it to the final of the Sand King’s Crown, eventually losing to Riyadh Al-Hilal on penalties and finishing as runners-up. Now, they are back with the guidance of renowned coach Pioli, hoping to lift their seventh Sand King’s Crown trophy. Having fallen to the Second Division, Al-Hazem’s morale and confidence have been significantly boosted by their unbeaten run of four games, reigniting the determination and fighting spirit of the entire squad to compete with the giants. The new era under Pioli has started well, but where this change will lead remains uncertain.

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