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Al Hilal will welcome Al Ittihad to the Kingdom Arena for the first leg of their all-Saudi AFC Champions League quarterfinal tie on Tuesday.
The game comes just four days after they faced one another in the Saudi Pro League at the same venue when Al Hilal claimed a 3-1 comeback home win. N'Golo Kante put Ittihad ahead in the 12th minute while Saleh Al Shehri drew the game level in the 39th minute. Malcom and Saud Abdulhamid scored after the break to help the Blue Waves open up a nine-point lead at the summit of the standings.
Both sides will turn their attention to the continent as they stand in one another's way in the quest for a place in the semifinal.
Al Hilal booked their spot at this stage with a 6-2 aggregate victory over Sepahan in the last round. They claimed 3-1 victories in both legs.
Al Ittihad, meanwhile, qualified with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Navbahor Namagan in the round of 16. A goalless draw in the first leg in Uzbekistan was followed up by a 2-1 home win. The winner of this tie will face either Al Ain or Al Nassr in the semifinal.
Al Hilal vs Al Ittihad Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the 82nd meeting between the two sides. Al Hilal lead 38-21.
- Al Hilal are unbeaten in 33 games played in all competitions this season, winning 31 games in this sequence, including the last 25 on the bounce.
- Six of the last eight head-to-head games, including each of the last four, have witnessed goals at both ends.
- Four of Al Hilal's last five games across competitions have produced over 2.5 goals.
- Al Hilal are unbeaten in the last eight head-to-head games (seven wins).
Al Hilal vs Al Ittihad Prediction
Al Hilal have been the most dominant side in Asian football this season, with their 33-game unbeaten start to the season matching the much-vaunted Bayer Leverkusen. Jorge Jesus' side are on course to win a treble for the second time in their history and there does not appear to be any side capable of stopping them.
Al Ittihad have their work cut out to try and stop a winning machine who have seemingly forgotten how to lose. They got a taste of the size of the task at hand on Friday when they fell to defeat in the league.
We are backing the home side to claim a comfortable first-leg victory with goals at both ends.
Prediction: Al Hilal 3-1 Al Ittihad
Al Hilal vs Al Ittihad Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Al Hilal to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - Al Hilal to score over 1.5 goals
