Al-Nassr will be aiming to bounce back with a win when they travel to Damac on Tuesday for matchday 29 of Saudi Pro League.
The Knights of Najd saw their title charge suffer a heavy setback after falling to a 2-1 defeat at Al Quadisiya last weekend, a result that also halted their six-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Match preview
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Just when momentum had been building with a run of three consecutive league victories and leaders Al Ittihad slipping up at Al Fateh a day earlier, Stefano Pioli's men squandered a golden opportunity to close the gap at the summit.
Sadio Mane's late equaliser in the 84th minute briefly sparked hope, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's swift reply three minutes later sealed the win for the hosts, leaving the visitors empty-handed and ruing what could have been.
That loss leaves the Riyadh giants third in the standings on 57 points, still eight adrift of Al Ittihad, while their narrow one-point deficit to second-placed Al Hilal has widened to four, making their push for a Champions League place increasingly fragile.
Now only one point above fourth-placed Al Ahli, Al-Nassr know anything short of a win on Tuesday could see them slide down the pecking order, though the fact they have come out on top in each of their last seven meetings with Damac should inspire confidence.
The Yellow Sun have shown resilience after setbacks, having failed to win back-to-back away league matches only once this season, and they will be banking on that knack to dig deep once again.
Al-Nassr's record on the road stands at nine victories, three draws and two defeats, making them the division's best travellers, and with 30 goals scored on their travels, they boast the second-best attacking return in that category.
Meanwhile, Damac boosted their survival hopes with a 3-1 triumph at Al Kholood, ending a two-game winless run and notching only their second victory in 11 matches.
Nuno Almeida's men had struggled for attacking output, failing to score in six of their previous eight games, but a first-half Georges-Kevin N'Koudou brace from the penalty spot put the visitors in command before Nicolae Stanciu's strike made sure of the points after Myziane Maolida briefly threatened a comeback for the hosts early in the second period.
That marked the first time in 18 matches that the Knights of the South found the net three times in a single game, lifting them to 11th on the table with 31 points from eight wins, seven draws and 13 defeats.
Now five points clear of the relegation zone with six rounds to go, Damac know every point matters at this stage, but to keep that buffer, they must improve on recent home form that has seen them lose three of their last five, more than they had in the previous nine combined.
The hosts have taken five wins, four draws and five defeats on their turf, scoring 18 and conceding 20 in the process – numbers they will be keen to tilt in their favour come Tuesday.
Team News
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In terms of injuries, Damac remain without Hassan Abu Sharah, Adam Maher and goalkeeper Abdulbasit Hawswi, all of whom are expected to continue their spells on the sidelines.
Striker Meshari Al-Nemer is unavailable to feature against his parent club due to loan restrictions, although his absence should have minimal impact as he is not a regular starter.
Speculation continues to swirl around Pioli's future, with the Italian tactician reportedly linked with AS Roma, and signs suggest his stint at Al-Nassr may be nearing its end.
Nonetheless, he will have the bulk of his squad available for this fixture, with only Sami Al-Najei ruled out through injury, though the midfielder is not considered a key figure in the team.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who struck twice in the reverse fixture, will be eager to maintain that streak and add to his league-leading tally of 23 goals this season.
Damac possible starting lineup:
Nita; Solan, Bedrane, Chafai, Al-Anazi; Fallatah, Mohammed, Stanciu; Kamano, N'Koudou, Diallo
Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:
Bento; Al Ghanam, Simakan, Laporte, Al-Boushail; Al-Hassan, Brozovic, Otavio; Mane, Ronaldo, Duran
We say: Damac 1-2 Al-Nassr
Although Al-Nassr have faltered in two of their last three away league outings, their commanding head-to-head record and Damac's recent woes on home soil suggest the visitors should edge this one.
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Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
