Match Report
Al Tai, 9th on 44 points, faced a 36-point deficit to Abha (1st, 80). Abha had been under-performing their position — 9th on five-round form against 1st in the table. Per game in the league, Al Tai were scoring 1.41 and conceding 1.53, Abha 1.94 and 0.94, against a competition average of 1.48 goals per team per game.
Momentum sat with Abha, winners of their last four, having scored in 15 consecutive games. Al Tai had banked 6 of the last 15 points on offer; Abha, 13.
7 previous meetings sit in the GioScore records — Al Tai 4, draws 0, Abha 3, at 1.86 goals per meeting. The pattern favours whoever hosts: home teams have won 86% of the meetings. Low-scoring is the pattern: just 29% of the meetings went over two goals.
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium staged the fixture, a ground that holds 12,500. Half-time and full-time told different stories: Abha led 1-0 at the break, before 2 more goals closed it at 1-2.
Goal scorers
Al Tai: Hamad Al Shammari (88') · Abha: Hamoud Shammari (5'), Hamoud Shammari (47')
Key stats
Possession: Al Tai 55% · Abha 45% · Total shots: 13-15 · On target: 5-6 · Corners: 4-1