Al Hilal and Al Fateh renew title rivalry as Jowy Elite League enters round eight

The Jowy Elite League (Saudi Under-21 League) returns on Sunday, 25 October, with Al Hilal hosting Al Fateh in the standout fixture as both sides chase leaders Al Ittihad.

Al Hilal are third with 13 points from four wins, a draw and a defeat, while Al Fateh are fourth with the same record. The Riyadh side have scored 15 goals to Al Fateh’s 14, with both teams conceding six.

The meeting was expected to be last season’s final five months ago, but Al Hilal’s surprise 4-2 aggregate semi-final defeat by Al Hazem prevented that. Al Fateh beat Al Qadsiah in the other semi-final before losing 3-1 to Al Hazem in the final.

Round eight begins with Al Faisaly visiting Al Khaleej in Saihat, Al Ettifaq hosting Al Taawoun in Dammam and Al Riyadh facing Al Kholood in the Saudi capital. Al Najma play Al Watan at the Education Administration Stadium in Unaizah, while Al Jabalain travel to Al Orubah in Al Jouf.

The day ends in Jeddah with Al Ahli against Damac and Al Ittihad against Neom. Four more matches take place on Monday, 26 October: Al Hazem versus Al Wehda in Al-Rass, Al Okhdood against Al Fayha at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Abha, Al Ansar versus Al Tadamon in Medina, and Al Nassr against Al Qadsiah in Riyadh.

Al Ahli will attempt to recover from a damaging 3-3 draw with newly promoted Al Tadamon in the previous round. They remain unbeaten, but have drawn two of their past three matches and now sit second on 15 points, four behind Al Ittihad.

Damac are in 16th place with six points after one win, two defeats and three draws. Their previous match against Al Ansar was postponed until next January. One of Damac’s draws came against Al Ittihad, the only time the leaders have dropped points this season.

Al Ittihad have six consecutive victories since that opening-round draw and lead with 19 points from six wins and one draw. Neom, their opponents in Jeddah, have lost only once, alongside three wins and a draw, but that defeat was a 4-0 loss to Al Hilal. Neom are 10th with 10 points from five matches.

The round closes with Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah. Al Qadsiah are eighth on 11 points from seven games, while Al Nassr are 15th with seven points from five matches. Al Nassr have collected only four points in their last four rounds, beating Damac, drawing with Al Wehda and losing to Al Fateh and Al Fayha.