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Al Fayha will welcome local rivals Al Nassr to the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in the first leg of the AFC Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.
The hosts made their debut in the competition earlier this season and have done well to qualify for the knockout stage in their first continental appearance. They finished second in the Group A table, with three wins and losses apiece in six games.
The visitors enjoyed an unbeaten run in the group stage, recording four wins. They finished atop the Group E standings with a comfortable six-point lead over second-placed Persepolis.
Both teams will play their first competitive match of the year as they return from a lengthy winter break. The hosts had concluded 2023 with four consecutive losses in the Saudi Pro League but registered a 2-1 win over Nizhny Novgorod in a friendly earlier this month.
The visitors played Al Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup 2023 final last week, suffering a 2-0 loss. Nonetheless, they concluded 2023 on a five-game winning streak in competitive games and are strong favorites.
Al Fayha vs Al Nassr Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have squared off 14 times across all competitions thus far. The visitors have dominated proceedings against their northern rivals, with a 9-1 lead in wins and four games ending in draws.
- They last met in the Saudi Pro League in October, with Al Nassr recording a comfortable 3-1 away win.
- Al Fayha have registered just one win in their last eight home games in all competitions, suffering six defeats. They have failed to score in four games in that period while conceding 20 goals.
- The visitors are unbeaten in their last 10 away games in the AFC Champions League, recording six wins.
- The hosts have scored more than one goal in just one of their 14 meetings against the visitors.
Al Fayha vs Al Nassr Prediction
Al Burtuqali registered two of their three wins in the group stage of the Champions League at home and also scored seven of their 12 goals in these games. With that in mind, they are expected to put up a strong fight in this match.
They have failed to score in three of their last four meetings against the visitors. They have kept just two clean sheets in their 14 meetings against the Riyadh-based outfit and are likely to concede at least a goal.
Abdelhamid Sabiri is back from a knee injury, following which he underwent surgery and should start here. Ghislain Konan, who is on loan from Al Nassr, won the 2023 AFCON with Côte d'Ivoire and will be available for the second leg.
Al-Alami went unbeaten in the group stage of the competition, recording two wins in three away games. They have scored at least three goals in four of their last five competitive games and are expected to continue their prolific run in this match. With no fresh absentees, head coach Luís Castro is expected to field a strong starting XI, headlined by the now-fit Cristiano Ronaldo.
Considering the current form of the two teams and recent history, the visitors are expected to register a comfortable win.
Prediction: Al Fayha 1-2 Al Nassr
Al Fayha vs Al Nassr Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Al Nassr to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Talisca to score or assist any time - Yes
