Al Akhdoud vs Al Hilal Tips and Predictions
Having taken advantage of Al Ittihad’s slip-up, Al Hilal are back on top of the Saudi Pro League following their win against Al Shabab last week. To make sure that his team leaves for the international break as league leaders, Jorge Jesus needs to coach a win against Al Akhdoud away on Saturday, October 7. The kick-off is scheduled for 6 pm local time.
If there is one advantage that Al Akhdoud may have over Al Hilal, it is their fitness level. Jorge Jesus’ men have an AFC Champions League match against Nassaji Mazandaran on Tuesday meaning they won’t be at their freshest, a fact we will reflect on in our Al Akhdoud vs Al Hilal tips.
Under 3.5 goals
Al Hilal have the second-best attack in the league with 23 scored goals, only one goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s side Al Nassr. These numbers are barely surprising if you consider their squad, as Jorge Jesus has got Neymar, Aleksandr Mitrovic, Malcom and others at his disposal.
However, we do not expect a goal fest on Saturday because, as we mentioned, Al Hilal have a midweek game in Iran. Moreover, Al Akhdoud have one of the better defences in the league – although they sit in 13th place, the team from Najran has allowed just nine goals in eight games. That is just two more than league-leaders Al Hilal.
For these reasons, we expect there to be three goals at most in the match on Saturday, with Bet365 offering 1.72 odds on under 3.5 goals.
Al Hilal to win to nil
Taking our Al Akhdoud vs Al Hilal tips one step further, we believe that the visitors will win the match to nil. Bet365’s odds on this outcome stand at 1.72.
Al Hilal are the obvious favourites going into the match because of their current form and superior roster. Besides the formidable attacking line, they also have Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinković-Savić to boss the midfield and Kalidou Koulibaly and Yassine Bounou to make sure the ball doesn’t enter their goal.
Al Akhdoud, meanwhile, have the joint-worst attacking record in the Saudi Pro League with just five scored goals. They have also lost to nil their last three matches at home, so it is difficult to imagine them finding the net against Al Hilal of all teams.
Under 10 corners
The match between Al Akhdoud and Al Hilal will likely follow this scenario: the home side will give the ball away and will park the bus; Al Hilal will nevertheless manage to score at least once and when done, will go into low-energy mode ahead of the international break.
Certainly, there will be a few corner kicks that will come as a result of Al Hilal’s attacking efforts or Al Akhdoud’s rare counter-attacks. However, their number should be limited, and Bet365 offers 2.00 odds on under 10 corner kicks.
In general, corner kicks are not that common in Saudi Pro League because the actual football is played in the middle of the pitch and not necessarily in the final third. For example, there were nine corner kicks in Al Hilal’s win over Al Shabab and just six in their draw with Damac. The same trend should continue on Saturday.
Please remember to always gamble responsibly. Our Al Akhdoud vs Al Hilal tips are mere suggestions, not a call to action. Always rely on your own judgement first and foremost.