With top-flight survival a near impossibility for hosts Al Orubah in their final Saudi Pro League game, they will hope for a miracle against Al-Taawoun on Monday at Al-Jouf University Stadium.
Al Orubah are second last in 17th place with 30 points and are currently three points from 15th-placed Al Wahda, who are the first team outside the relegation zone, while their opponents are eighth with 45 points and managed to beat Al Riyadh 3-2 on May 20.
Match preview
The home side suffered a 3-1 defeat against Al Quadisiya last Tuesday, a game in which they missed a number of opportunities in front of goal, scoring once despite producing 2.25 xG.
Al Orubah's displays at the back have been poor for some time, with the team conceding 28 goals in their past 10, picking the ball out of the net at least two times in nine of those matches.
Head coach Antonio Cazorla's side will almost certainly be relegated regardless of the result on Monday given their goal difference of minus 40 is 16 worse than Al Wahda.
ORO are on a losing streak of three games, and they also lost five of their prior seven, winning on just one occasion.
Al Orubah's showings at Al-Jouf University Stadium have been poor considering they are winless in their last five at home, succumbing to defeat four times.
Meanwhile, Al-Taawoun staged a remarkable comeback against Al Riyadh by overturning a two-goal deficit, scoring their first just before the half-time interval before netting in the 86th and 95th minutes.
The Wolves cannot qualify for the AFC Champions League, and even if they win on Monday, they will end the season with 11 fewer points than they totalled last term.
Boss Mohammed Al-Abdali's side drew 0-0 in the reverse fixture on January 4, and his team have drawn two and lost one of their three top-flight clashes against their hosts.
While Al-Taawoun triumphed in one and were held to a stalemate in one of their past two, they were beaten in four of their previous five.
The visitors have also failed to achieve victory in any of their four most recent outings on the road, losing twice in that period.
Team News
Al Orubah are likely to station Ismael Kandouss and Kurt Zouma in central defence between full-backs Osama Al Khalaf and Ibrahim Al-Zubaidi.
Karlo Muhar and Fahad Al-Reshedi played in a double pivot last time out, and they could provide a platform for forwards Johann Gudmundsson and Omar Al-Somah to attack from.
As for Al-Taawoun, centre-back Awn Al Slaluli has been ruled out, while Andrei Girotto was forced off against Al Riyadh.
Awn Al Saluli is a candidate to come into the backline, and he may partner Renne Rivas in front of goalkeeper Abdulquddus Atiah.
Striker Roger Martinez is almost certain to start up front, and he will likely be flanked by Sultan Mandash and Musa Barrow.
Al Orubah possible starting lineup:
Coucke; Khalaf, Kandouss, Zouma, Al-Zubaidi; Zubaidi, Muhar, Al-Reshedi, Taha; Gudmundsson; Al-Somah
Al-Taawoun possible starting lineup:
Atiah; Jumayah, Al Saluli, Rivas, Abdulrazzaq; Chavez, Mahdioui, Fajr; Mandash, Barrow, Martinez
We say: Al Orubah 1-2 Al-Taawoun
With their relegation all but confirmed, Al Orubah are likely to be in poor spirits, and the visitors could take advantage.
Al-Taawoun should be confident of scoring more than once given the home side have struggled defensively, and they will be seen as favourites.
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Lewis Nolan
