{"id":3051,"date":"2026-01-03T03:37:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T03:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/?p=3051"},"modified":"2026-01-13T07:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T07:18:20","slug":"the-gift-from-jeddah-al-hilal-primed-to-seize-top-spot-in-abha-live-on-spotv-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/the-gift-from-jeddah-al-hilal-primed-to-seize-top-spot-in-abha-live-on-spotv-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gift from Jeddah: Al-Hilal Primed to Seize Top Spot in Abha, Live on SPOTV NOW"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"model-response-message-contentr_1f947face1b45478\" class=\"markdown markdown-main-panel enable-updated-hr-color\" dir=\"ltr\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-busy=\"false\">\n<p><strong>Damac vs. Al-Hilal<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sunday, January 4, 2026 | Kick-off: 20:30 AST<\/li>\n<li>Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium, Abha<\/li>\n<li>Streaming: SPOTV NOW<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"2\" \/>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">The door to the summit of the Saudi Pro League hasn\u2019t just been left ajar; it\u2019s been kicked wide open. Following Al-Ahli\u2019s thrilling 3-2 victory over Al-Nassr on Friday, the league leaders have finally blinked. Now, the &#8220;gift&#8221; from Jeddah sits waiting for Al-Hilal to claim it.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">Should Simone Inzaghi\u2019s side secure three points against Damac this Sunday, they will leapfrog their rivals to sit atop the table for the first time this season.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\"><strong>People Also Read<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-path-to-node=\"4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/ivan-toneys-masterclass-ends-al-nassrs-invincibility-a-title-race-blown-wide-open\/\">Ivan Toney\u2019s Masterclass Ends Al Nassr\u2019s Invincibility: A Title Race Blown Wide Open<\/a><\/li>\n<li data-path-to-node=\"4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/al-ittihad-vs-al-taawoun-conceicaos-resurgent-champions-face-saudi-pro-leagues-surprise-package-live-on-spotv-now\/\">Al Ittihad vs Al Taawoun: Concei\u00e7\u00e3o\u2019s Resurgent Champions Face Saudi Pro League\u2019s Surprise Package, Live on SPOTV NOW<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"5\"><b data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Inzaghi Evolution<\/b><\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\">Al-Hilal arrives in Abha as the division\u2019s undisputed form team. They are currently the only unbeaten side remaining in the Pro League, boasting a clinical record of nine wins from 11 matches\u2014including a relentless eight-game winning streak.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\">Inzaghi, recently crowned <b data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"26\">December\u2019s Coach of the Month<\/b>, has transformed this squad into a cohesive, collective machine. While individual brilliance is plentiful, the &#8220;Blue Waves&#8221; are no longer reliant on a single talisman. The threat is coming from all angles:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"8\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Marcos Leonardo:<\/b> 6 goals<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Theo Hernandez:<\/b> 5 goals<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Salem Al-Dawsari:<\/b> 5 assists<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Malcom:<\/b> 4 assists<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS-HzeBiKdB\/\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"9\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Resistance: Damac\u2019s Last Line of Defense<\/b><\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">Despite the daunting statistics, Damac presents a unique set of hurdles. If Al-Hilal is to find the back of the net, they must bypass <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"134\">Kewin<\/b>, the league&#8217;s reigning <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"163\">Goalkeeper of the Month<\/b>. The Brazilian shot-stopper has been in inspired form, anchoring a side that prides itself on resilience.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\">Offensively, Damac is a one-man wrecking ball. <b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"47\">Valentin Vada<\/b> has been involved in a staggering 80% of the team&#8217;s goals this season, netting six times and providing two assists. If Al-Hilal\u2019s backline can neutralize Vada, they likely neutralize Damac\u2019s entire game plan.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS-A8-ECOhz\/\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13\">Historical precedent offers little comfort for the hosts. In 12 previous meetings, Al-Hilal has dominated the fixture with seven wins and just a solitary defeat.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"14\">For Inzaghi, Sunday represents more than just a fixture; it is a statement of intent. In a season defined by Al-Nassr\u2019s early dominance, Al-Hilal is ready to prove that the marathon is entering a new phase\u2014one with them in the lead.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6vWeGDZDFck?si=gNUg051kdy-wEPvX\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Damac vs. Al-Hilal Sunday, January 4, 2026 | Kick-off: 20:30 AST Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium, Abha Streaming: SPOTV NOW The door to the summit of the Saudi Pro League hasn\u2019t just been left ajar; it\u2019s been kicked wide open. Following Al-Ahli\u2019s thrilling 3-2 victory over Al-Nassr on Friday, the league leaders have &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/the-gift-from-jeddah-al-hilal-primed-to-seize-top-spot-in-abha-live-on-spotv-now\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The Gift from Jeddah: Al-Hilal Primed to Seize Top Spot in Abha, Live on SPOTV NOW<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[121,5],"tags":[127],"class_list":["post-3051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","category-top-stories","tag-football"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3051"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3054,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3051\/revisions\/3054"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}