Al-Nassr vs Al Kholood – News and Probable Lineups

Al-Nassr aims to prolong their winning streak when they face Al Kholood at Al Awwal Park on Thursday as part of matchweek 12 in the Saudi Pro League.

The home side has triumphed in four successive matches, while Des Buckingham’s squad has suffered four straight league losses, conceding a total of 13 goals during this period.

Match overview

Al-Nassr has started their league campaign strongly by winning eight out of their first ten matches, accumulating 25 points which places them second in the table, just two points behind leaders Al Hilal and level on points with the third-placed Al Qadsiah.

The Knight of Najd have found their form in recent weeks, winning their last four games across all tournaments, beginning with a 3-0 victory over Al Diriyah, then following up with a 3-1 win against Neftchi Fargona in the Champions League, before a 1-0 success over NEOM, and lastly, a 3-1 victory against Al Faisaly on Friday.

Abdullah Al-Hamdan opened the scoring for Al Nassr early in the match, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo doubling the lead, and Angelo Gabriel securing the win after Theo Bongonda pulled one back.

In league play, Ange Postecoglou’s team remains unbeaten in their last five fixtures since their only defeat of the season against Al Ittihad, registering four wins and one draw, which was a 1-1 draw with Al Khaleej.

The hosts will be optimistic about maintaining their run due to their current form and past results against Al Kholood, having won three and drawn one of their last four encounters.

Al Kholood’s defensive struggles should further bolster the home team’s confidence, as only Al Fateh, with 23 goals conceded, have allowed more goals than Al Kholood’s 21 this season in the league.

The Pride of Ar Rass has conceded 13 goals in their last four league outings while netting just twice. Their total of 14 goals allowed in their last five league games is also the highest in the division.

Despite being unbeaten in their first six league matches (W3, D3), Buckingham’s squad has faced four consecutive losses, falling 2-0 to Al Riyadh, 5-0 to Al Qadsiah, 3-2 to Al Faisaly, and 3-0 to Al Ettifaq, which leaves them in ninth place in the standings with 12 points.

The visitors head to Riyadh without an away win in five attempts this season, having managed three draws and two defeats in their league matches on the road, which adds to the difficulty of facing a high-flying Al Nassr.

Team News

Al-Nassr will be without Sultan Al Ghannam, who is recuperating from a cruciate ligament injury, while Mohamed Simakan and Kingsley Coman are uncertain to play.

Bento is set to start in goal, accompanied by Abdulelah Al Amri and Inigo Martinez as potential central defenders.

Abdullah Al Khaibari and Samu Costa are likely to take on midfield roles, while Joao Felix and Sadio Mane are expected to provide support to Al-Hamdan and Ronaldo in attack.

Al Kholood will have their usual roster available for the trip to Riyadh, with Buckingham expected to stick to his 4-3-3 formation.

Julien Domingues is anticipated to spearhead the attack once more, with the French forward aiming to add to his tally of four league goals this season.

Al-Nassr probable starting XI:

Bento; Boushal, Amri, Martinez, Aman; Mane, Khaibari, Costa, Felix; Ronaldo, Hamdan

Al Kholood probable starting XI:

Al-Shanqiti; Solan, Pinas, Camara, Shehri; Zubaidi, Buckley, Kortajarena, Da Costa; Domingues, Guga

Al Nassr holds the advantage of home ground, a deeper attacking lineup, and the momentum from four consecutive wins, while Al Kholood’s defensive issues raise doubts about their ability to withstand the pressure from the hosts throughout the match, making another home victory seem probable.