JEDDAH — Tens of thousands of Al-Ittihad fans will gather at Jeddah's King Abdullah Sports City stadium on Wednesday to celebrate the coronation of their favorite club as the Saudi Pro League Champions after a long wait of 14 years. Al-Ittihad will take on the 8th placed Al-Tai in the 30th round of the league match, which will also witness other final round matches as the curtain falls on the current league season that lasted for 279 days. Al-Ittihad clinched its 9th title after a long wait since 2009. Al-Ittihad won the title, after defeating its host Al-Feiha 3-0, last Saturday, moving away by five points than its main rival Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr. In the rest of the matches, the second-placed Al-Nassr, with 64 points, will meet the sixth-placed Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, while the third-placed Al-Hilal, with 56 points, will face the 9th placed Al-Raed at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh. After losing four consecutive matches, the 4th placed Al-Shabab, with 53 points, will meet the 7th placed Damac at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Al-Mahala, while the fifth-placed Al-Taawon will meet the last-placed Al-Batin at Al-Taawon stadium in Buraidah. Al-Ittihad, the Asian champions of 2004 and 2005, made outstanding performance during the current season as it lost only three matches, two in the league against Al-Hilal and Al-Taawon, and one in the King's Cup against Al-Hilal. Al-Ittihad had won the Super Cup title for the first time in its history in January this year. Al-Ittihad is looking for the 22nd victory so as to increase the topper's points from 69 to 72. After Al-Batin relegated to the first division, the second relegation card became confined to three clubs, the 13th placed Al-Feiha with 30 points, the 14th placed Al-Khaleej with 28 points and the15th placed Al-Adalah with 28 points. Al-Feiha needs to beat Al-Wehda in Makkah to ensure its survival in the Saudi Pro League without looking at the rest of the results, either it is tied or lost, with Al-Adalah and Al-Khaleej winning over Ettifaq and Abha, respectively. Al-Adalah's victory over Ettifaq in Al-Ahsa will be an instrument of survival, regardless of the results of its competitors, as it outperforms Al-Feiha and Al-Khaleej in direct confrontations. As for Al-Khaleej, it t needs to beat its guest Abha in Dammam, and then shall wait for one of its competitors to stumble, even if it is a draw, to ensure its survival.
