Sat Nov 30 17:40:00 UTC 2024: ## Al-Hilal Aim to Overtake Al-Ittihad, Face Tough Test Against Al-Shabab

**Riyadh, Saudi Arabia** – Al-Hilal, currently second in the Saudi Professional League (SPL), travels to the Al-Shabab Club Stadium on Saturday aiming to leapfrog league leaders Al-Ittihad. The match pits a powerhouse Al-Hilal side, hampered by injuries, against a resurgent Al-Shabab, who are vying for a top-three finish.

Al-Hilal, despite a recent 3-2 loss to Al-Khaleej and a 1-1 draw against Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League, boasts a formidable league record of nine wins and one draw. However, their quest for victory will be complicated by the absences of key players including Neymar (hamstring injury), Malcom, and Ruben Neves.

Al-Shabab, sitting fourth in the SPL, arrive after a 1-1 draw against Al-Okhdood. While they’ve enjoyed a strong run of form, including four consecutive wins across all competitions, they’ll be without key players Fahad Al-Muwallad, Yannick Carrasco, and potentially Abderrazak Hamdallah and Seung-gyu Kim due to injuries.

Despite Al-Shabab’s recent successes and home-field advantage (where they’ve earned 15 points from five matches), Al-Hilal are heavily favored due to their superior squad depth and recent dominance in the head-to-head matchup (unbeaten in 19 of their last 20 encounters). The match promises a compelling clash between two of the SPL’s top teams, with Al-Hilal aiming for a crucial victory to close the gap on the league leaders. The outcome could significantly impact the SPL title race.

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