Bet for the match
This bet is not about Al-Diriyah's weak attack, but about the quality of the visitors' defence. Al-Ahli conceded 25 goals in 34 rounds last season — the fewest in the league. Edouard Mendy won the Golden Glove with 14 clean sheets. He may not feature now, which is a genuine drawback, but last season's defensive solidity cannot be reduced to one goalkeeper.
The end of the season for the Jeddah club was almost exemplary: five straight wins, 16 scored and only three conceded. Ivan Toney finished the league campaign with 32 goals. Riyad Mahrez and Franck Kessie left in the summer, but Francisco Trincao and Eduard Spertsyan arrived — the visitors still have enough quality in attack to avoid turning the match into an exchange of chances.
Al-Diriyah earned promotion: third place, 72 points and 79 goals in the First Division, followed by a 3:0 win over Al-Jabalain and a 2:1 extra-time victory against Al-Ula in the play-offs. Bruno Lage received several significant reinforcements, including Nikola Vasilj, Qassem Lajami and Berat Djimsiti. But the club have not played a single minute at Saudi Pro League level.
Al-Diriyah's recent 3:1 friendly win over Al-Kholood looks impressive, but it is precisely the sort of result that can easily be overestimated. In May, Al-Ahli beat the same opponent 3:0 and had the best defence in the league throughout last season. The test on 13 August 2026 will be of an entirely different level.
Head coach Marino Pusic only took charge of Al-Ahli a week before the start of the league season, so we should not expect an immediate radical overhaul. It will be easier to retain a functioning formation and system, force the newcomers to break down a set defence, and decide the match through Toney and the new attacking group. In a Both Teams to Score - No scenario, it is Al-Diriyah who are most likely to draw a blank.
