Abha vs Al Ittihad: match statistics

Al Ittihad are favourites: they sit 4th and have won 7 of their 10 matches this season, while 18th-placed Abha are still without a win after 9 games. Away from home, the visitors average 2 goals per match and win 60% of their games, whereas the hosts score just 0.67 goals per match at home and lose 67% of their games. The difference in finishing is reflected in Al Ittihad converting 15% of their shots compared with Abha's 6%, although the gap in the quality of chances created is smaller: 1.57 versus 1.33 xG. Abha have scored just 2 goals in their last 5 matches and lost 4 of them, but the visitors have conceded 7 goals over the same period, so a goal for the hosts cannot be ruled out. Despite this defensive weakness, Al Ittihad have greater attacking potential and are more likely to win.

BTTS has landed in 80% of Abha’s home matches and 60% of Al Ittihad’s away matches, supporting the case for both teams to score. In these conditions, both teams average 2.0 goals, while their average xG stands at 1.81 and 1.57 respectively, giving each a solid basis for finding the net. In addition, Abha have kept a clean sheet in just 20% of their home matches, compared with 40% of Al Ittihad’s away matches. The main concern for this market is the hosts’ recent form: across their last five matches, they have scored an average of just 0.4 goals with an xG of 0.83. Despite this dip in finishing, the more likely scenario is that both teams score, although the risk of Abha failing to find the net remains significant.

In their last 5 matches, Abha averaged just 0.4 goals, while Al Ittihad scored 2.0, so I expect the visitors to account for the larger share of the goals. Their average xG over this period was 1.92, compared with 0.83 for the hosts, and Abha conceded an average of 1.4 goals per match. At the same time, Abha’s home matches went Over 1.5 goals in 100% of games, while Al Ittihad’s away matches did so in 60%. The projected total of 2.90 goals supports Over 1.5: this line offers a clearer edge than Over 2.5, particularly given the hosts’ recent lack of scoring efficiency.

Although Abha led at half-time in 4 of the 5 home matches included in the data, across their last five matches regardless of venue they have not led at the break once and have failed to score in the first half. Al Ittihad have also made an unconvincing start recently: over the same period, they were level at half-time in 2 of 5 matches and led only once, making a draw after 45 minutes more convincing than an early lead for the visitors. After the break, Al Ittihad’s form advantage is clear: they have averaged 1.4 goals in second halves over their last five matches and won that half in 60% of games, while Abha have scored 0.4 goals and have not won the second half once. The visitors have also earned 1.4 points per game in their last five outings, compared with Abha’s 0.2, further supporting a prediction of an Al Ittihad win at full-time. Abha’s strong season-long home record, including an 80% win rate, remains a significant caveat, but given their current form, the most likely HT/FT outcome is a half-time draw followed by an Al Ittihad win.