This Thursday, October 5th, Al Ittifaq will take on Al Fateh at Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam. The match, set to begin at 18:00 (UTC), will be played under a clear sky and a temperature of 93 degrees (F). History has not favored Al Ittifaq, who lost the previous matchup against Al FATEH in the Saudi Professional League on May 22, 0-4. Let's see if Al Ittifaq can turn things around and take the win this time around!

Al Ittifaq have been in impressive home form of late, securing an impressive 4 wins and 1 draw in their last 5 matches at Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd Stadium, and averaging 14 goals scored in the process. Their form against similarly ranked opponents has been formidable, boasting an undefeated record of 1 win and 0 draws, while scoring 2 goals and conceding 1 per match. Unfortunately, the home team is increasingly likely to be without the influential M. Dembélé though injury, after the impressive performance in their previous match which resulted in a 4-0 victory against Jeddah in the King's Cup, with M. Dembélé scoring a brace.

Al Fateh come into this match with ample experience in their form; having won 3 and drawn 1 in their past 5 away matches, scoring 10 goals in the process. Currently in 7th in the standings, the away team has secured an impressive 14 points from 8 matches, winning 4, drawing 2 and losing 2. Boasting a strong and healthy squad, Al Fateh have been boosted recently by midfielder M. Batna's two goal contribution in their previous home match against Al Akhdoud, resulting in a 3-1 win.

The storied history between Al Ittifaq and Al Fateh suggests an exciting match-up between the two teams. The past 9 games alone have generated an impressive average of 2.44 goals. Despite Al Ittifaq's edge in terms of 6 wins and 8 draws, Al Fateh lead the total cumulative with 10 wins. Their upcoming contest promises to be a thrilling clash, full of energy, passion, and goals.

As the Saudi League table heats up, Al Ittifaq are primed to take control by challenging Al Hilal for the top spot. With 17 points, a win for Al Ittifaq could be a huge and inspiring shift for this talented team, potentially unlocking their full potential. With the top spot up for grabs, this could also lead to an increase of goal scoring power from Al Ittifaq as the team works their way towards a more fruitful finish.