King’s Cup: Who will come through the all-RSL quarter-finals? – Bns Sections.

There could also be a pause in the Roshn Saudi League at current, however virtually half of our golf equipment are nonetheless in aggressive motion, with the King’s Cup quarter-finals happening throughout Friday and Saturday.

In reality, it’s an all-RSL final eight, with holders – and Saudi champions – Al Ittihad intent on retaining the trophy they captured fantastically final season.

Advertisement

Here’s a breakdown of the quarter-finals, which promise to go some method to sating the urge for food whereas the RSL catches breath following an exhilarating Matchweek 9.

Now used to being Saudi Arabian historical past-makers – they debuted in the RSL final season after which in the summer season turned the league’s first international-owned membership – Al Kholood have by no means made it to this stage of the cup.

Des Buckingham’s facet come into the conflict with Al Khaleej most probably further decided to get a outcome having final week misplaced the RSL’s first Ar Rass derby. There, they went down 2-1 in opposition to Al Hazem to slide to eleventh in the desk. It marked Al Kholood’s fourth straight defeat in the prime flight.

Advertisement

Al Khaleej, in the meantime, symbolize certainly one of the storylines of the RSL marketing campaign so far, the place they sit sixth regardless of Sunday’s 4-1 reverse at leaders Al Nassr, a contest that featured that Cristiano Ronaldo aim.

Still, it constituted Al Khaleej’s first league defeat in 5, whereas Giorgos Donis’ facet usually are not usually concerned in a uninteresting match: they scored 4 instances in opposition to every of Al Riyadh, Al Ittihad and Al Hazem in a 4-spherical RSL spell.

Look out for Konstantinos Fortounis, the RSL October Player of the Month who leads the help chartswith 9.

Advertisement

——–

Al Ahli v Al Qadsiah (Nov. 28)

One of two quarter-finals that pits in opposition to each other two groups who’ve simply confronted off in Matchweek 9 of the RSL, this guarantees to be a cracker in Jeddah.

While Al Ahli completed fifth in the prime flight final time period, they’ve confirmed to be cup specialists of late, in May profitable a historic AFC Champions League Elite crown after which following it up in August with the Saudi Super Cup.

Al Ahli are starting to purr in the RSL: certainly one of three groups nonetheless unbeaten this season, their previous two matches has seen them triumph in the Sea Derby in opposition to champions Al Ittihad and, final Friday, see off Al Qadsiah 2-1 at residence. Galeno introduced his return to full health with the opener.

Advertisement

For Al Qadsiah, the loss in Jeddah meant they swapped locations in the desk with Al Ahli and drop a spot to fifth. Michel’s males have stumbled a bit of not too long ago, being held to a draw at residence to relegation-threatened Al Okhdood and shedding at Al Taawoun.

However, with Mateo Retegui shining on RSL debut and present RSL Young Player of the Year Musab Al Juwayr pulling the stringsAl Qadsiah will fancy a run to a second successive King’s Cup closing.

——–

Al Hilal v Al Fateh (Nov. 29)

Speaking of groups who’ve solely simply met, Friday’s opening fixture sees a re-run of the weekend encounter at Kingdom Arena, the place Al Hilal emerged 2-1 winners.

Advertisement

The 2023-24 RSL champions had been made to work onerous for the victory, although, with Darwin Nunez first drawing the hosts degree earlier than Ruben Neves transformed a penalty two minutes from time.

The success moved Al Hllal second – they’re 4 factors again from Al Nassr – and at the similar time prolonged their profitable run throughout all competitions to 11 video games.

Like Al Ittihad final season, Al Hilal clinched the double the earlier marketing campaign, so will be pushed to preserve supervisor Simone Inzaghi’s push for silverware in his first yr in the Kingdom.

Advertisement

In distinction, Al Fateh usually are not having fun with the better of instances at current. The Al Ahsa membership come into the quarter-closing mendacity second from backside in the league having gained solely as soon as in the competitors this time period.

The King’s Cup, then, affords the alternative of a reprieve, even when they’ve been handed certainly one of the most tough attracts of the final eight. Manager Jose Gomes will must encourage his facet ought to they need to progress. Can the likes of Mourad Batna and Matias Vargas ship?

——–

Al Ittihad v Al Shabab (Nov. 29)

It hasn’t been the biggest title defence for the RSL champions. After 9 rounds, they’re down in seventh, with final Friday’s 2-1 victory at residence to Al Riyadh their first in the league in six outings.

Advertisement

However, amongst that unwelcome sequence of outcomes, Al Ittihad displayed their resolve to maintain maintain of the King’s Cup, coming through their titanic final-16 conflict at Al Nassr. To this date, that 2-1 triumph is the solely time Al Nassr have misplaced anyplace this season.

Just like final season, captain Karim Benzema was integral to Al Ittihad’s thrivewith the former Ballon d’Or winner discovering his scoring contact once more final week in opposition to Al Riyadh.

In Al Shabab, although, they go head-to-head in opposition to certainly one of the off-kind groups in the RSL. Manager Imanol Alguacil has endured a frightening debut marketing campaign in the Kingdomthe Spaniard guiding the capital membership to a solitary league win in 9.

Advertisement

On Sunday, Al Shabab’s struggles sustained after they had been held to a draw at lowly Al Okhdood. It means they’re thirteenth, solely three factors above the relegation zone.

Although, Abderrazak Hamdallah did open his account for the season. The Moroccan, the second-highest scorer in RSL historical pastwas a overwhelmed finalist in the 2019-20 King’s Cup – with Al Ittihad.