Al-Qadsiah
- Al-Qadsiah have won four and drawn one of their last five matches across all competitions.
- Al-Qadsiah Al Khubar will take some beating on Saturday if their last two performances are anything to go by as Brendan Rodgers’ team have smashed Al-Fayha 5-0 and held title-chasing Al-Hilal to a 2-2 draw in the last week.
- This has seen them surge into the top four in the Professional League with around 40 points from 18 games, keeping them in the title and continental qualification hunt.
Al-Fateh
- Al-Fateh have been average in the mid-table with around 22-25 points, but will want to close the gap to the upper half as much as possible.
- They have been inconsistent of late with only one win in their last five in the league, two big defeats and back-to-back draws against Al-Ittihad and Al-Hazem.
- José Gomes has set up his side with a pragmatic, defensive structure, but the team has stabilised and are capable of counter-punching if they can keep their shape.
Head-to-Head
Al-Qadsiah have won the last two away league meetings 1-0, but Al-Fateh have a slight edge overall.
Key Players
- Mateo Retegui has been a revelation for the hosts, hitting double figures this season, providing the clinical finishing and hold-up play that Rodgers’ side need.
- For Al-Fateh, Matías Vargas has been the creative engine of the side, delivering key assists and goals, including a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Al-Ittihad.
- Another key man has been Mourad Batna, who can score and provide from midfield and set pieces, while Fernando Pacheco has kept a few shutouts and pulled off some important saves in goal.
Betting Insights
- The Over 2.5 goals market looks very appealing at 1.5 as Rodgers’ side have been in red-hot form in January.
- Al-Qadsiah are 1.4 favourites, which looks short, and Al-Fateh are 7.0, which looks too long, so the draw is the best bet at 4.75 in the three-result markets.
