Five young talents to watch as Jawwy Elite League continues during international break

Saudi football fans will still have the chance to see emerging talent in action during the current international break, with four postponed matches taking place in the Jawwy Elite League Under-21 competition.

The fixtures were originally delayed because of logistical circumstances in Saudi Arabia. Among the most eagerly anticipated players is Riyadh forward Batal Al-Harthi, who will face Neom when Riyadh host the match at the reserve stadium at Riyadh Club on Sunday in round six.

Al-Harthi goes into the game after scoring Riyadh’s goal in their 1-1 Saudi capital derby draw with traditional rivals Al Nassr. His penalty came in the third minute and earned his side a valuable point.

That strike took his season’s total to six goals, placing him seventh in the Jawwy Elite League’s scoring chart, three behind leaders Moussa Adam of Al Ahli. Al-Harthi is also the leading scorer among players from clubs based in Riyadh this season, despite the presence of Al Hilal and Al Nassr and their array of stars.

Neom’s hat-trick hero

Neom’s Ghali Al-Shammari will provide another major attraction in the same fixture. He was the outstanding player in the previous round, scoring three times as Neom defeated Al Watan 4-0.

Al-Shammari impressed with his movement off the ball, his ability to beat the offside trap and his positioning inside the penalty area. His goals came through a mixture of finishes with his feet and his head, underlining his all-round attacking threat.

The hat-trick placed him among the players to have scored three goals in one match this season. That list also includes Mohamed Al-Essa of Al Ettifaq, Jefferson Ramos of Al Fateh, Ammar Al-Ghamdi of Al Ittihad, Daniel Al Habib of Al Fayha and Ziyad Aba of Al Ahli.

Al Okhdood and Al Hazem threats

Al Okhdood forward Nouh Al-Yami has also emerged as a key figure in recent weeks. He scored in his side’s only win of the season, a 3-2 victory over Damac in round nine, before finding the net again in the same-score defeat by Al Tadamon last time out.

Al Okhdood sit 22nd with three points from one win and four defeats, but Al-Yami has scored two of the club’s five goals. He will now aim to score in a third consecutive match against Al Jabalain in round six.

Another striker to watch is Senegalese forward Amadou Diang of defending champions Al Hazem, who face Al Tadamon in round five. Diang scored in the 2-0 win over Al Khaleej in round 10 and struck twice in a 5-0 victory against Al Wehda in round eight, when he was selected among the five best players of the round.

His six goals place him seventh in the scoring standings, leaving him three behind Moussa Adam.

Al Tadamon’s Nawaf Al-Jadawi will also feature in that match. He has scored in each of his past three appearances: in the 3-3 draw with Al Ahli, the win over Al Ansar and the 3-2 victory against Al Okhdood. His three goals account for a third of Al Tadamon’s nine this season, leaving him second behind Ziyad Al-Shammari, who has four.