Saudi football fans will be glued to their screens on Friday evening as Damac hosts Al-Shabab at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Abha in a crucial and potentially explosive match. This encounter, part of the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League, is of paramount importance to both teams, who are struggling in the standings and desperately need the three points to escape the relegation zone.

The struggle to escape the specter of landing

Both teams enter the match with the motto "No to an eleventh defeat," as they both experience similar inconsistent results. Damac, playing at home, hopes to capitalize on the significant morale boost gained in the last round, having broken a nine-match winless streak with a valuable victory against Al-Taawoun. The "Knights of the South" aim for their second consecutive win to secure their position in the mid-table, relying on their full squad and the readiness of their key players.

The history of the encounters favors Al-Ahly

In terms of historical statistics in the Saudi Professional League, Al-Shabab clearly holds the advantage. The two sides have met 13 times previously, with Al-Shabab dominating, winning 8 matches, while Damac managed only one victory, and 4 ended in a draw. Furthermore, Al-Shabab's attack is clearly superior, having scored 22 goals against Damac, compared to 12 goals scored by the southern team's attack.

The two teams' positions in the standings

Damac enters the match in 15th place with 15 points, accumulated from two wins and nine draws, while suffering defeat in 10 matches. Al-Shabab's situation isn't much better, as they sit in 14th place with 19 points, having secured four wins, seven draws, and 10 losses – a position unbecoming of the Riyadh-based club's history and prestige.

A tough test for Ben Zekri's battalion

This match will be a true test for experienced Algerian coach Noureddine Benzekri, the manager of Al-Shabab, who took over to rescue the team. Despite a relative improvement in results at the beginning, the team has recently returned to a losing streak, suffering a heavy defeat against Al-Kholoud and then a crushing loss in the derby against Al-Ahli. Benzekri is relying on his extensive experience in Saudi football and his familiarity with Damac FC (which he previously coached, achieving success in avoiding relegation) to overcome this difficult hurdle.

Star Battalion and Lethal Weapons

Both teams boast impressive rosters capable of making a difference. Damac relies on the solidity of its Brazilian goalkeeper, Kiwin Silva, the experience of Algerian defender Abdelkader Bedrane, the dynamism of Guinean Morlaye Sylla, in addition to Argentinian Valentin Vada, Moroccan Jamal Harkas, Congolese Jonathan Okita, Syrian Mohammed Al-Salakhdi, and Ivorian Yakou Meite.

In contrast, Al-Shabab enters the match boasting a star-studded lineup, including veteran Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, Belgian Yannick Carrasco, Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah, Frenchman Yacine Adli, Englishman Josh Brownhill, Brazilian Carlos Junior, and Jordanian talent Ali Al-Azaizeh. Ultimately, the pitch will determine who can best utilize these players to secure all three points.

In a thrilling evening at the historic San Siro stadium, AC Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by a resilient Como side in their rescheduled Serie A match from Matchday 24. This result was more than just a setback for the Rossoneri; it was a golden opportunity for their city rivals Inter Milan, who now sit comfortably atop the table, making Milan's Scudetto hopes this season significantly more difficult.

Match details and goal scenarios

The match witnessed dramatic twists and turns, with the visitors opening the scoring through Argentine talent Nico Bas in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on a glaring and uncharacteristic error by French international goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The goalkeeper, a key figure for Milan, misplaced a pass to the young Como striker, leaving him with a clear scoring opportunity. Bas unleashed a low shot from outside the penalty area that found the back of the net, scoring his tenth goal of the season across all competitions.

The home side did not give up, and Portuguese star Rafael Leão managed to equalize for Milan in the 64th minute. The goal came after a perfect long pass from Swiss player Ardon Gachari that hit Como's advanced defensive line, allowing Leão to go one-on-one with French goalkeeper Jean Potet and cleverly chip the ball over him, announcing his eighth league goal this season, and his first since the beginning of January.

Impact of the result on the Italian league standings

With this disappointing draw for the Rossoneri fans, Milan increased their points tally to 54, maintaining their second-place position, but the gap with league leaders Inter widened to a full seven points (Inter have 61 points). This relatively large margin at this stage of the season gives the Nerazzurri a significant advantage in the title race and places immense pressure on Stefano Pioli's men in the upcoming rounds to close the gap and hope for their rivals to slip up.

On the other hand, Como continued its strong performances and pleasant surprises this season, raising its tally to 42 points and strengthening its position in sixth place, a position that qualifies for European competitions, reflecting the great development in the team’s performance and its legitimate ambition to compete with the giants of Serie A.

Facts and figures from the confrontation

The match held special significance for Como beyond the valuable point, as the team succeeded in breaking their historical jinx and ending their five-match losing streak against Milan in the league, including a 3-1 defeat in the first leg. The game also saw a remarkable performance from goalkeeper Jean Poté, who made several crucial saves, most notably from Leão's shot in the first half and Tomori's header, while veteran Sergi Roberto missed a chance to seal the victory for Como.

In a disappointing night for AC Milan fans at the San Siro, the Rossoneri were held to a 1-1 draw by a resilient Como side in a rescheduled match from the 24th round of the Italian Serie A. This result was more than just a minor setback; it proved to be a turning point in the Scudetto race, handing arch-rivals Inter Milan a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table to a comfortable seven points.

Match details and Mainan's fatal blunder

The match began with attacking forays from the home side, with Portuguese star Rafael Leão nearly opening the scoring in the 30th minute with a powerful shot, but the visitors' French goalkeeper, Jean Poté, was equal to the task. However, against the run of play, the shock came in the 32nd minute when French international goalkeeper Mike Maignan made an uncharacteristic and disastrous error; he passed the ball directly to Como's young Argentine striker, Nico Bas, who found himself completely unmarked and slotted the ball into the net with a low shot, scoring his tenth goal of the season across all competitions.

Milan tried to respond quickly through their English defender Fikayo Tomori, but goalkeeper Pote's brilliance prevented them from doing so. The first half also saw a missed opportunity by veteran Spanish player Sergi Roberto of Como, who failed to extend the lead against Mainan.

Leao's return and the impact of the result on the standings

In the second half, Milan intensified their pressure to salvage the situation, and their efforts paid off in the 64th minute with an equalizer. The goal came thanks to a perfectly weighted long pass from Swiss player Ardon Jachari that bypassed Como's high defensive line, allowing Rafael Leão to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper and cleverly chip the ball over him, scoring his eighth league goal of the season and his first since January.

The implications of the draw on the title race

With this result, Milan's tally rose to 54 points, maintaining their second-place position, but they now trail league leaders Inter (61 points) by a full 7 points, making it difficult for them to catch their city rivals in the remaining rounds. Meanwhile, Como continued their strong performances this season, raising their points total to 42 and securing sixth place, a European qualification spot, while also breaking their five-match losing streak against Milan.

This draw serves as a wake-up call for Milan, as the widening gap with Inter at this crucial stage of the season could make the dream of regaining the Italian league title a distant prospect, especially given the technical stability and positive results achieved by the league leader.