Joy Elite League: Al-Hilal in an incomplete final, and Al-Ahli challenges Al-Ittihad's only conqueror

The eighth round kicks off the day after tomorrow, Sunday 25 October. Al-Faisaly travel to face Al-Khaleej in Saihat, Al-Ettifaq host Al-Taawoun in Dammam, and Al-Riyadh meet Al-Kholood in the Saudi capital.

Al-Hilal face the pick of the round, hosting Al-Fateh at their Riyadh stadium. Al-Najma take on Al-Watan at the Education Department Stadium in Unaizah, while Al-Jabalain travel to face Al-Orobah in Al-Jouf.

Two heavyweight clashes in Jeddah close the opening day: Al-Ahli meet Damac and Al-Ittihad take on Neom.

Monday 26 October brings four matches. Al-Hazem host Al-Wehda in Al-Rass, and Al-Okhdood face Al-Fayha at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Abha.

In Medina, Al-Ansar meet Al-Tadhamon. The round then wraps up with a fierce clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

The pick of the eighth round in the Saudi Under-21 League pits Al-Hilal against Al-Fateh, two sides scrapping for top spot without either yet holding it.

Both teams arrive in near-identical shape. Al-Hilal sit third on 13 points from four wins, a draw and a single defeat. Al-Fateh, fourth in the table, boast exactly the same record.

In front of goal, "the Leader" edge it by a single strike. Their players have scored 15 to Al-Fateh's 14, and both sides have conceded six.

This fixture should have been played five months ago, in the final of the last Joy Elite League. Al-Hilal are the reason it never happened.

Favourites to reach the final at the expense of Al-Hazm, Al-Hilal instead stumbled to a shock 4-2 aggregate defeat across the two legs.

Al-Fateh, meanwhile, saw off Al-Qadsiah in the semi-final to set up a meeting with Al-Hazm. The underdogs struck again, lifting the title with a 3-1 win in the final.

Al-Ahli, meanwhile, want to get back on track as they host Damac in a far-from-straightforward clash.

The hosts are still nursing fresh wounds. They drew 3-3 with newly promoted Al-Tadamon last time out.

That draw knocked Al-Ahli well off the summit. Their tally of 15 points leaves them second, four points adrift of leaders Al-Ittihad.

"The Elegant" have yet to taste defeat this season, yet their results are wobbling. Two draws in their last three matches sound the alarm for the club.

Damac, by contrast, arrive in a more comfortable spot after their last-round meeting with Al-Ansar was pushed back to January.

The visitors are plainly struggling, though. They have managed just one win and two defeats alongside three draws, one of which came against Al-Ittihad, the only slip-up for "the Tigers" so far.

Those numbers leave Damac down in 16th with just six points, albeit having played a game fewer than Al-Ahli.

Another tough test awaits Al-Ittihad in this season's Joy Elite League as they host Neom in Jeddah, looking to maintain their resilience.

Al-Ittihad arrive with top spot already secured. They lead on 19 points from 6 wins and a single draw, 4 clear of second-placed Al-Ahli.

"The Dean" have no intention of surrendering their record run of 6 straight wins, built after that opening-round draw with Damac.

Neom, though, will make life difficult. They have lost just once this season, winning 3 and drawing one.

That solitary defeat was a chastening one. Al-Hilal thrashed them four goals to nil, the capital club's biggest win of the season in the Saudi Under-21 League.

Those results leave Neom tenth on 10 points, having played only 5 matches across the 7 rounds.

In the Saudi Roshn League, Al-Nassr against Al-Qadsiah is a fiery top-of-the-table clash, the title holder up against one of the leading candidates for the crown this season. The situation is a little different in the Joy Elite League.

This time the match brings together two sides who are struggling badly. Al-Qadsiah sit eighth with 11 points from 7 matches, winning 3, drawing twice and losing twice.

Al-Nassr are in an even worse spot. They sit fifteenth with just 7 points from 5 matches, built on two wins, a draw and two defeats.

Across the last 4 rounds of the Joy Elite League, Al-Nassr have managed only 4 points. A single win over Damac and a draw with Al-Wehda stand against two defeats to Al-Fateh and Al-Feiha.

"Al-Alami" want to dust themselves off in the best possible way, grinding out a hard-earned win over an Al-Qadsiah side packed with distinguished talent in the Joy Elite League.