Al-Taawoun vs Al-Hilal: prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups – 24 February 2026
One of the rescheduled matches of the 10th round of the Saudi Pro League will take place on Tuesday in Buraidah at the King Abdullah Sports City, where Al-Taawoun will host Al-Hilal. The visitors have a chance to temporarily reclaim the top spot in the table, and in this clash, it makes logical sense to back their success.
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Match preview
Pericles Chamusca’s side is experiencing a noticeable slump: just one win in their last seven league matches (a 1-0 win over Al-Kholood), and in the previous round, the Wolves lost 2-3 at home to Al-Fayha, conceding the decisive goal in the dying moments. Before that, there were draws and losses, widening the gap to the top four to 11 points. With 12 rounds remaining, the fight for a spot in the Asian cups is becoming more and more challenging.
Nevertheless, Al-Taawoun have looked solid at home: six wins in 11 league games with only two defeats. The team knows how to grind out results, but squad absences are taking their toll – Musa Barrow is still recovering from a serious injury, while Al-Kuwaikibi and Girotto are doubtful. Once again, much will depend on Roger Martinez up front, who found the net in the previous round.
Simone Inzaghi’s men remain the league’s only unbeaten team, but a string of draws has started to cost them the top spot. On Saturday, the Blue Waves drew 1-1 with Al-Ittihad, missing out on victory despite their opponents being reduced to ten men as early as the ninth minute. In the last six rounds, Al-Hilal have dropped points four times, and on three occasions, they took the lead but failed to hold on.
Head-to-head statistics are completely in favor of the visitors: 12 wins in the last 13 meetings with Al-Taawoun, including six straight with at least two goals scored and clean sheets. Away from home this season, Al-Hilal have won seven of ten matches (three draws) and boast squad depth, even with foreign player limitations that have kept Nunez and Pablo Mari out of the lineup. Benzema, who hasn’t scored in two games after a debut hat-trick, is clearly eager to end his mini-drought.
Probable lineups
- Al-Taawoun: Mailson, Mahzari, Al-Dossari, Lajami, Al-Mufarrij, Flavio, El Mahdioui, Fulgini, Petkov, Martinez, Biel
- Al-Hilal: Bono, Al-Harbi, Koulibaly, Al-Tambakti, Hernandez, Milinkovic-Savic, Neves, Kanno, Malcom, Benzema, Salem Al-Dawsari
Match facts and head-to-head
- Al-Hilal have won 12 of the last 13 head-to-head matches against Al-Taawoun.
- The visitors remain unbeaten in 33 games across all competitions this season (26 wins and 7 draws).
- Al-Taawoun have lost four of their last six league matches.
Prediction
This promises to be a dynamic encounter: the hosts are forced to take risks to keep their top-four hopes alive, while the visitors cannot afford to drop more points in the race with Al-Nassr. The class and depth of Al-Hilal’s squad, along with their historical dominance in this fixture, look like decisive factors. I expect the visitors to claim victory in a high-scoring match.
