Al Hazm
- Al-Hazm have endured a very mixed start to life in the top flight since being promoted and Jalel Kadri’s men have shown just as much inconsistency in recent weeks.
- The hosts have 17 points from 16 games while Al Shabab have 13 from 17.
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They have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 3 of their last 5 games, a run that includes a 3-2 home win over struggling Al Najma and a 1-5 home defeat to Al Qadsiah.
- 3-2 win v Al Najma
- 1-5 defeat v Al Qadsiah
- Al-Hazm are very compact and well-structured in their preferred 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 formations and always have numbers behind the ball while their counter-attacking play is much more potent at home.
Al Shabab Riyadh
- Al Shabab Riyadh have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their last 5 fixtures, currently on a run of 2 consecutive draws.
- The visitors will make life difficult for Al-Hazm’s forward players and, at the other end, they will play a cagey game.
- Al Shabab Riyadh are slight favourites here at 2.2, although that seems a bit rich given Al Hazm are 3.2 and the draw is at 3.3.
Head-to-Head
- Al Hazm have lost all 3 head-to-head matches against Al Shabab Riyadh in the Profesional League 2025-2026, including a 1-0 defeat at home four months ago.
- Al-Hazm’s recent home form (1 win, 1 draw, 5 losses in 7 outings) is not impressive and they have scored only six goals across that span, while Al-Shabab have yet to win away this season (4 draws, 5 losses in 9 fixtures) and have scored just four goals on the road.
Key Players
- Fabio Martins, who is their biggest attacking threat with four league goals in 16 appearances, could trouble Al-Shabab if he gets some decent service, while Amir Sayoud has scored three of Al-Hazm’s last seven league goals.
- Yannick Carrasco leads the scoring charts for Al-Shabab with seven in 15 league games and has scored twice in his last five appearances.
Betting Insights
- Al Shabab Riyadh are slight favourites at 2.2, with Al Hazm at 3.2 and the draw at 3.3.
- The visitors’ head-to-head advantage is the primary reason to consider backing them, but both teams’ recent form suggests a close contest.
Prediction
- With Al-Hazm likely to sit deep and Al-Shabab set up in a fluid, patient shape, Thursday’s game could be a chess match where transitions and pressing triggers decide the outcome.
- Al-Shabab’s head-to-head dominance and the odds give the away side the slight edge, but Al-Hazm’s compact setup means the hosts have a good chance of grabbing a point if the visitors fail to convert chances.
