Al Ittihad vs Al Hazem: Shocking H2H Stats Predict Winner
Saudi Pro League Table: Early Season Standings Explained Simply
What Is This Table?
Imagine a big scoreboard that shows how every team in the Saudi Pro League is doing so far this season. This table comes from BBC Sport and shows the standings after the first few games (most teams have played 2 or 3 matches).
Important Point: The season just started! Teams have only played a handful of games, so the table will change a lot as the season goes on.
How to Read the Table (ELI5 Version)
Think of it like a school report card for each team:
| Column | What It Means (Simple Version) |
|---|---|
| Rank | Position in the league (1st place, 2nd place, etc.) |
| Played (P) | How many games the team has played |
| 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) | How many goals they scored |
| Goals Against (GA) | How many goals they let in |
| Goal Diff (GD) | Goals For minus Goals Against (higher is better) |
| Points (Pts) | Total points (Win=3, Draw=1, Loss=0) |
Current Standings (Top to Bottom)
The Top Three (All Perfect So Far!)
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al Nassr | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 6 |
| 2 | Al Hilal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 |
| 3 | Al Ahli | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
Important Point: Three teams are tied on 6 points! Al Nassr is top because they have the best goal difference (+7). They’ve scored 7 and conceded 0 — that’s like winning 7-0 and 0-0, or 4-0 and 3-0!
Also on 6 Points (But Played More Games)
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Al Qadsiah | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 |
| 5 | Al Ettifaq | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 |
| 6 | NEOM | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 6 |
Important Point: Al Qadsiah and NEOM have played 3 games while the top 3 have only played 2. They have the same points but a lower goal difference.
Middle of the Pack
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Al Ittihad | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 5 |
| 8 | Al Kholood | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| 9 | Al Hazem | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 10 | Diriyah Club | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | Al Khaleej | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Important Point: Al Khaleej is interesting — they’ve played 2 games, drawn both 0-0! They haven’t scored OR conceded yet.
Struggling at the Bottom (No Wins Yet)
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Al Taawoun | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| 13 | Al Shabab | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 |
| 14 | Al Faisaly | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 0 |
| 15 | Al Fayha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| 16 | Al Fateh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
| 17 | Abha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 0 |
| 18 | Al Riyadh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 0 |
Important Point: Five teams have 0 points after 2 games! Al Riyadh is last with a -6 goal difference (conceded 8, scored 2). But remember — it’s very early!
Key Takeaways So Far
What We Know
- Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli look strongest — perfect starts with big goal differences
- Al Ittihad (last season’s champions) are unbeaten but drawing lots (1 win, 2 draws)
- Five teams haven’t won yet — but they’ve only played 2 games!
What We Don’t Know Yet
- Who will keep this form up over 34 games?
- Will the big-money signings (like Ronaldo at Al Nassr) make the difference?
- Can the bottom teams turn it around? (Yes — plenty of time!)
Summary
This is the Saudi Pro League table after Matchday 2-3 (early September 2024).
- Top: Al Nassr leads on goal difference (+7) over Al Hilal and Al Ahli — all have 6 points from 2 games
- Middle: Al Ittihad (champions) sit 7th with 5 points from 3 games (1 win, 2 draws)
- Bottom: Five teams have 0 points, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint!
Remember: In a 34-game season, 2 games = less than 6% of the season. Everything can change!
FAQ
Why are some teams ranked higher even with the same points?
A: Tiebreakers! First is Goal Difference (Goals For minus Goals Against). If still tied, it’s Goals Scored. Al Nassr (+7) beats Al Hilal (+5) and Al Ahli (+5).
What does "NEOM" mean — is that a team?
A: Yes! NEOM is a newer club based in the NEOM region (a mega-project city in northwest Saudi Arabia). They’re in the top flight now.
Why has Al Ittihad played 3 games while others played 2?
A: Fixture scheduling! Some teams play midweek games (like Asian Champions League), so their league games get rescheduled. It evens out over the season.
How many games in a full season?
A: 34 games — each of the 18 teams plays every other team twice (home and away). 17 × 2 = 34.
When does the season end?
A: Usually May the following year. So this table is from the very start — about September.
Data source: BBC Sport Saudi Pro League table (early 2024-25 season)