Al Qadsiah vs Al Ittihad: The H2H Stats That Predict the Winner
Saudi Pro League Standings: Early Season Guide for Beginners
What Is This Table?
Imagine a scoreboard for an entire soccer league. This table shows how all 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League are performing after their first few matches. It’s like a classroom ranking—but for soccer teams!
Think of it like this: Each team gets a "report card" showing how many games they’ve played, won, drawn, lost, and how many goals they’ve scored versus conceded.
How to Read the Table (ELI5 Style)
Here’s what each column means in simple terms:
| Column | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rank | Position in the league (1st place, 2nd place, etc.) |
| Played (P) | How many games the team has played so far |
| Won (W) | Games they won (3 points each) |
| Drawn (D) | Games that ended in a tie (1 point each) |
| Lost (L) | Games they lost (0 points) |
| Goals For (GF) | Total goals the team scored |
| Goals Against (GA) | Total goals the team let in |
| Goal Difference (GD) | Goals For minus Goals Against (higher is better!) |
| Points (Pts) | Total points: Win = 3, Draw = 1, Loss = 0 |
Important Point: Teams are ranked by Points first. If points are tied, Goal Difference decides who’s higher.
Top of the Table: The Early Leaders
1⃣ Al Nassr – Perfect Start!
- Played: 2 | Won: 2 | Drawn: 0 | Lost: 0
- Goals: 7 For, 0 Against | Goal Difference: +7 | Points: 6
- Only team with a perfect defensive record (zero goals conceded!)
2⃣ Al Hilal – Flying High
- Played: 2 | Won: 2 | Drawn: 0 | Lost: 0
- Goals: 7 For, 2 Against | Goal Difference: +5 | Points: 6
- Same points as Al Nassr, but lower goal difference
Key Battle: Al Nassr and Al Hilal are tied on 6 points! Al Nassr leads only because they haven’t conceded any goals yet.
The Chasing Pack (Positions 3–8)
These teams are close behind with 3–4 points each:
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Al Qadsiah | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| 4 | NEOM | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| 5 | Al Ettifaq | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| 6 | Al Ahli | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 7 | Al Hazem | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | Diriyah Club | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Quick Notes:
- Al Qadsiah & NEOM are unbeaten (1 win, 1 draw each)
- Al Ettifaq & Al Ahli have played only 1 game—and won it!
- Al Hazem & Diriyah have 1 win and 1 loss each
The Bottom Half (Positions 9–18)
These teams are looking to climb up:
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Al Ittihad | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Al Kholood | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Al Taawoun | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Al Khaleej | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Al Faisaly | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 1 |
| 14 | Abha | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 15 | Al Shabab | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 16 | Al Fateh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| 17 | Al Fayha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| 18 | Al Riyadh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 0 |
Quick Notes:
- Al Ittihad are unbeaten but haven’t won yet (2 draws)
- Three teams (Al Taawoun, Al Khaleej, Al Kholood) have 1 point from 1 draw
- Bottom four teams (Al Fayha, Al Riyadh, Al Fateh, Al Shabab) have zero points so far
- Al Riyadh have the toughest start: conceded 8 goals in 2 games!
Key Takeaways
Important Points to Remember
- It’s VERY early – Most teams have played only 1–2 games out of 34!
- Al Nassr & Al Hilal are the only teams with maximum points (6/6)
- Goal Difference matters – That’s why Al Nassr is above Al Hilal despite same points
- Many teams haven’t played the same number of games – Compare fairly!
- Bottom teams can easily climb – One win = 3 points = big jump up the table
Summary
- 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League
- Al Nassr leads with perfect record: 2 wins, 7 goals scored, 0 conceded
- Al Hilal right behind, also 2 wins but conceded 2 goals
- 6 teams are unbeaten so far (Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Qadsiah, NEOM, Al Ettifaq, Al Ahli)
- 4 teams still searching for first point (Al Fayha, Al Riyadh, Al Fateh, Al Shabab)
- Lots of soccer still to play – this table will change dramatically!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Why do Al Nassr and Al Hilal both have 6 points but different rankings?
Because Goal Difference is the tiebreaker! Al Nassr have +7 (7 scored, 0 conceded), Al Hilal have +5 (7 scored, 2 conceded). Better goal difference = higher rank.
2. Some teams played 1 game, others played 2. Is that fair?
Yes! Over the full season (usually 34 games), every team plays the same number. Right now the schedule is just staggered. By season end, it evens out.
3. What does "Goal Difference" actually mean?
It’s Goals Scored minus Goals Conceded. Example: Al Nassr scored 7, conceded 0 → 7 – 0 = +7. It rewards teams that score lots AND defend well.
4. Can a team at the bottom still win the league?
Absolutely! With 30+ games left, a team on 0 points can win their next 10 games and shoot up the table. Early standings ≠ final standings.
5. How many points do you usually need to win the league?
In recent Saudi Pro League seasons, champions typically get 60–70+ points over 34 games. Right now, 6 points is just a tiny start!
Data sourced from BBC Sport Saudi Pro League table. Standings reflect early-season matches.