Copyright sportskeeda
Al-Najma will host Al-Hilal at the Al-Najma Sports Stadium on Friday in the eighth round of the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League campaign. The hosts will remain desperate to get a result going into the weekend and will hope to cause a major upset against one of the title favorites.Al-Najma’s shambolic start to life in the top flight continued last weekend as they conceded in the 80th minute of their 2-1 loss to Al-Okhdood, making it seven losses from seven league games played so far. The newly promoted side just returned to the Saudi Pro League after a 23-year absence and have appeared to be out of their depth, but will remain optimistic to turn things around later in the season as they are only five points deep in the drop zone.Al-Hilal, on the other hand, have begun the season in brilliant fashion with five wins and two draws from their opening seven games and are only four points off the top of the table. Last season's runners-up saw out a narrow 1-0 win over Al-Shabab last time out, despite going down to 10 men, and will be looking to put up a more dominant display when they visit the bottom-placed team in the division.Al-Najma vs Al-Hilal Head-to-Head and Key NumbersThe two teams have met on 12 previous occasions going into this weekend's fixture. Al-Najma have won two of those meetings, two have ended in draws, while Al-Hilal have won the remaining eight.The hosts’ last win in this fixture came in the 2000-01 season.The visitors have the joint-second-best offensive and third-best defensive record in the Saudi Arabian top-flight this season, having scored 18 goals and conceded just six across seven games.Al-Najma have the joint-worst offensive and defensive records in the Saudi Professional League this season, with only five goals scored and 16 conceded in just seven games played.Al-Najma vs Al-Hilal PredictionNejmeh Unaizah are massive underdogs going into Friday's fixture and will have a mountain to climb if they are to avoid a heavy defeat against one of the league's best sides.The Blue Waves should cruise to an easy win and will likely focus on improving their goal difference by getting a landslide victory.Prediction: Al-Najma 0-3 Al-HilalAl-Najma vs Al-Hilal Betting TipsTip 1 - Result: Al-Hilal to winTip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Over 2.5 goals (Four of the hosts' last six games have featured more than 2.5 goals)Tip 3 - Both teams to score: No (Both sides have found the back of the net in just one of the visitors' last four games)
