Al Hilal SFC will welcome Al Wahda FC to Riyadh on Monday for a West Zone League Stage encounter in the AFC Champions League Elite, with the Saudi side already secured as group winners. The pressure is firmly on the visitors from the UAE, who need a victory to bolster their chances of finishing second in the standings.
Al Hilal SFC will welcome Al Wahda FC to Riyadh on Monday for a West Zone League Stage encounter in the AFC Champions League Elite, with the Saudi side already secured as group winners. The pressure is firmly on the visitors from the UAE, who need a victory to bolster their chances of finishing second in the standings.
The four-time Asian champions saw their winning run halted last week by a goalless draw against UAE side Shabab Al Ahli. Coach Simone Inzaghi may again rotate his squad, balancing continental commitments with a tightly contested Saudi Pro League title race. Despite potential changes, Al Hilal boast an extraordinary home record in the competition, having won their last 13 matches on home soil—the longest such streak in tournament history.
Al Wahda's history against Al Hilal offers little encouragement, with the UAE club managing three draws and one loss in their prior meetings. However, they will draw confidence from their performance last week, holding defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC to a goalless draw.
The visitors will rely heavily on Syrian forward Omar Khribin, a former Al Hilal player who has been in fine form on the continental stage this season. His intimate knowledge of the opponent could prove vital as Al Wahda pursues the victory necessary to keep their second-place aspirations alive in the group's final matchday.
