2014–15 Saudi Pro League

Football league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2014–15 Saudi Professional League (known as the Abdul Latif Jameel Professional League for sponsorship reasons) was the 39th season of the Saudi Pro League, the top Saudi professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1976. The season began on 8 August 2014 and ended on 18 May 2015.[3] Al-Nassr were the defending champions having won their seventh title the prior season.[4] The league was contested by the 12 teams from the 2013–14 season as well as Al-Khaleej and Hajer, who joined as the promoted clubs from the 2013–14 First Division. They replace Al-Ettifaq and Al-Nahda who were relegated to the 2014–15 First Division.

Season2014–2015
Dates8 August 2014 – 18 May 2015
ChampionsAl-Nassr (8th title)
Quick facts Season, Dates ...
Professional League
Season2014–2015
Dates8 August 2014 – 18 May 2015
ChampionsAl-Nassr (8th title)
RelegatedAl-Shoulla
Al-Orobah
AFC Champions LeagueAl-Nassr
Al-Hilal
Al-Ahli
Al-Ittihad
GCC Champions LeagueAl-Fateh
Al-Faisaly
Matches182
Goals528 (2.9 per match)
Top goalscorerOmar Al Somah
(22 goals)
Biggest home winAl-Ahli 6–1 Hajer
(16 August 2014)
Al-Nassr 5–0 Al-Shoulla
(7 March 2015)
Al-Ahli 5–0 Al-Fateh
(28 April 2015)
Biggest away winHajer 0–4 Al-Nassr
(30 November 2014)
Najran 0–4 Al-Nassr
(5 February 2015)
Al-Faisaly 1–5 Al-Nassr
(26 April 2015)
Highest scoringHajer 4–4 Al-Shabab
(19 February 2015)
Al-Taawoun 4–4 Al-Khaleej
(15 May 2015)
Longest winning run8 games[1]
Al-Ahli
Longest unbeaten run26 games[1]
Al-Ahli
Longest winless run11 games[1]
Al-Raed
Longest losing run7 games[1]
Al-Orobah
Highest attendance60,134[2]
Al-Ittihad 0–0 Al-Hilal
(1 December 2014)
Lowest attendance45[2]
Najran 1–2 Hajer
(18 May 2015)
Average attendance9,146
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On 10 May, Al-Nassr secured their eighth league title and second one in a row with one game to spare after a 1–0 win against derby rivals Al-Hilal coupled with Al-Ahli's 2–2 draw with Al-Taawoun.[5] Runners-up Al-Ahli ended the season without a single defeat becoming the third team to ever do so in a 26-game league season and the fourth team overall. They became the first team to end the season unbeaten and not be crowned champions.

Both Al-Orobah and Al-Shoulla were relegated on the final matchday on 10 May. Al-Orobah were relegated after a 1–0 home defeat to Najran.[6] Al-Shoulla were relegated after a 2–2 draw with Al-Raed.[7]

Teams

Fourteen teams competed in the league – the twelve teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams were Hajer (returning after a season's absence) and Al-Khaleej (returning to the top flight after seven years). They replaced Al-Ettifaq (ending their thirty-seven-year top-flight spell) and Al-Nahda (who were relegated after one season in the top flight).

Stadiums and locations

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
More information Team, Location ...
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Al-Ahli Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City 62,345
Al-Faisaly Harmah Prince Salman Sport City Stadium 5,200[8]
Al-Fateh Hofuf Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium 19,096[9]
Al-Hilal Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
62,685[10]
22,500[11]
Al-Ittihad Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City 62,345
Al-Khaleej Saihat Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam) 21,701[12]
Al-Nassr Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
62,685[10]
22,500[11]
Al-Orobah Sakakah Al-Orobah Club Stadium 6,000[13]
Al-Raed Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium 23,600[14]
Al-Shabab Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
62,685[10]
22,500[11]
Al-Shoulla Al-Kharj Al-Shoulla Club Stadium 8,000[15]
Al-Taawoun Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium 23,600[14]
Hajer Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium 19,096
Najran Najran Al Akhdoud Club Stadium 3,200[16]
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Personnel and kits

More information Team, Head coach ...
Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Al-Ahli Switzerland Christian Gross Saudi Arabia Taisir Al-Jassim Umbro Qatar Airways
Al-Faisaly Portugal Toni Conceição Saudi Arabia Omar Abdulaziz Macron Roco1
Al-Fateh Tunisia Nacif Beyaoui Saudi Arabia Hamdan Al-Hamdan Lotto Hyundai, Al Kifah1, AlMoosa Hospital1
Al-Hilal Greece Georgios Donis Saudi Arabia Salman Al-Faraj Nike Volkswagen, Mobily, Abdul Samad Al Qurashi1, Tasnee1, ExxonMobil2
Al-Ittihad Romania Victor Pițurcă Saudi Arabia Mohammed Noor Erreà ExxonMobil2
Al-Khaleej Tunisia Jalel Kadri Saudi Arabia Hussain Al-Turki Uhlsport Hyundai, Ghassan Property Group2
Al-Nassr Uruguay Jorge da Silva Saudi Arabia Hussein Abdulghani Sporta Mobily, Ugine2
Al-Orobah Egypt Amro Anwar Kuwait Musaed Neda Erreà Herfy
Al-Raed Tunisia Ammar Souayah Saudi Arabia Meshal Al-Enezi Hattrick Hana Water
Al-Shabab Egypt Adel Abdel Rahman Saudi Arabia Ahmed Otaif Adidas Al-Sanabel Wheats1
Al-Shoulla Romania Eusebiu Tudor Saudi Arabia Burj Maodah Hattrick
Al-Taawoun Portugal José Manuel Gomes Saudi Arabia Adnan Fallatah Erreà Kudu, Al Saif Gallery1, Al Abaqra Co.2
Hajer Montenegro Nebojša Jovović Saudi Arabia Riyadh Al-Ibrahim Erreà Al-Ajmi Co., Almulhim Auto
Najran Algeria Fouad Bouali Saudi Arabia Hamad Al-Rubaie Hattrick Polystar
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  • 1 On the back of the strip.
  • 2 On the right sleeve of the strip.

Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Al-Khaleej Saudi Arabia Sameer Hilal End of contract 6 April 2014 Pre-season Tunisia Jalel Kadri 29 April 2014[17]
Al-Faisaly Italy Giovanni Solinas 1 May 2014 Belgium Stéphane Demol 21 May 2014
Al-Nassr Uruguay José Daniel Carreño 1 May 2014 Spain Raúl Caneda 3 May 2014[18]
Al-Orobah Tunisia Jameel Qassem 1 May 2014 France Laurent Banide 25 May 2014[19]
Al-Raed Belgium Marc Brys 1 May 2014 North Macedonia Vlatko Kostov 31 May 2014[20]
Al-Shoulla Spain Juan José Maqueda 1 May 2014 Netherlands Hans van der Pluijm 9 May 2014[21]
Najran Syria Nizar Mahrous 1 May 2014 France Denis Lavagne 8 June 2014[22]
Al-Ahli Portugal Vítor Pereira Resigned 5 May 2014[23] Switzerland Christian Gross 16 June 2014[24]
Al-Shabab Tunisia Ammar Souayah End of contract 15 May 2014 Portugal José Morais 3 June 2014[25]
Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia Sami Al-Jaber Sacked 26 May 2014[26] Romania Laurențiu Reghecampf 26 May 2014[27]
Al-Fateh Tunisia Fathi Al-Jabal End of contract 27 May 2014 Spain Juan José Maqueda 27 May 2014[28]
Al-Shoulla Netherlands Hans van der Pluijm Sacked 26 July 2014[29] Romania Eusebiu Tudor 26 July 2014[29]
Najran France Denis Lavagne Resigned 25 August 2014[30] 11th Belgium Marc Brys 25 August 2014[30]
Al-Ittihad Saudi Arabia Khalid Al-Koroni Sacked 28 August 2014[31] 4th Egypt Amro Anwar (caretaker) 28 August 2014
Al-Raed North Macedonia Vlatko Kostov 1 September 2014[32] 13th Tunisia Emad Al-Sulami (caretaker) 1 September 2014
Al-Taawoun Algeria Taoufik Rouabah 2 September 2014[33] 10th Portugal José Manuel Gomes 4 September 2014[34]
Hajer Tunisia Nacif Beyaoui Resigned 20 September 2014[35] 8th Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Janoubi (caretaker) 20 September 2014
Najran Belgium Marc Brys 24 September 2014[36] 11th Tunisia Abdelhay Atiri (caretaker) 24 September 2014
Al-Fateh Spain Juan José Maqueda Sacked 25 September 2014[37] 10th Tunisia Nacif Beyaoui 1 October 2014[38]
Hajer Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Janoubi (caretaker) End of caretaker period 27 September 2014 8th Montenegro Nebojša Jovović 27 September 2014[39]
Al-Shabab Portugal José Morais Mutual consent 6 October 2014[40] 4th Germany Reinhard Stumpf 7 October 2014[41]
Al-Raed Tunisia Emad Al-Sulami (caretaker) End of caretaker period 7 October 2014 13th Belgium Marc Brys 7 October 2014[42]
Najran Tunisia Abdelhay Atiri (caretaker) 8 October 2014 11th Algeria Fouad Bouali 8 October 2014[43]
Al-Ittihad Egypt Amro Anwar (caretaker) 16 October 2014 3rd Romania Victor Pițurcă 16 October 2014[44]
Al-Nassr Spain Raúl Caneda Sacked 1 November 2014[45] 1st Uruguay Jorge da Silva 2 November 2014[46]
Al-Orobah France Laurent Banide Mutual consent 17 December 2014[47] 12th Tunisia Sofiane Kassabi (caretaker) 17 December 2014
Al-Shabab Germany Reinhard Stumpf Sacked 21 December 2014[48] 3rd Portugal Jaime Pacheco 8 January 2015[49]
Al-Orobah Tunisia Sofiane Kassabi (caretaker) End of caretaker period 2 January 2015 11th Romania Valeriu Tița 2 January 2015[50]
Al-Hilal Romania Laurențiu Reghecampf Sacked 15 February 2015[51] 3rd Romania Ciprian Panait (caretaker) 15 February 2015
Romania Ciprian Panait (caretaker) End of caretaker period 28 February 2015 4th Greece Georgios Donis 28 February 2015[52]
Al-Faisaly Belgium Stéphane Demol Sacked 14 March 2015[53] 6th Portugal Toni Conceição 14 March 2015[53]
Al-Raed Belgium Marc Brys 24 March 2015[54] 11th Tunisia Ammar Souayah 24 March 2015[54]
Al-Shabab Portugal Jaime Pacheco 27 March 2015[55] 5th Egypt Adel Abdel Rahman 28 March 2015[56]
Al-Orobah Romania Valeriu Tița 7 April 2015[57] 13th Egypt Amro Anwar 7 April 2015[57]
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Foreign players

The number of foreign players is restricted to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries.[58]

Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.

  • ^1 Orestes has East Timorese passport and was counted as Asian player.

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Al-Nassr (C) 26 20 4 2 62 20 +42 64 Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage
2 Al-Ahli 26 17 9 0 59 22 +37 60
3 Al-Hilal 26 16 6 4 46 17 +29 54
4 Al-Ittihad 26 16 4 6 44 33 +11 52 Qualification for the AFC Champions League play-off round[a]
5 Al-Shabab 26 11 7 8 37 31 +6 40
6 Al-Fateh 26 9 6 11 35 43 8 33 Qualification for the GCC Champions League
7 Al-Faisaly 26 8 6 12 31 42 11 30
8 Al-Khaleej 26 7 8 11 35 41 6 29
9 Al-Taawoun 26 7 7 12 42 46 4 28[b]
10 Hajer 26 8 4 14 29 56 27 28[b]
11 Al-Raed 26 7 5 14 33 45 12 26
12 Najran 26 7 3 16 28 41 13 24
13 Al-Shoulla (R) 26 5 6 15 26 48 22 21 Relegation to the First Division
14 Al-Orobah (R) 26 4 5 17 21 43 22 17
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Updated to match(es) played on 18 May 2015. Source: SLstat
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total goals scored; 6) Fair-play points (Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. As winners of the 2015 King Cup, Al-Hilal, qualified for AFC Champions League group stage thus the spot for the third-placed team (AFC Champions League play-off round) is passed down to the fourth-placed team.
  2. Al-Taawoun finished ahead of Hajer on overall goal difference: Al-Tawoun –4, Hajer –27 (Hajer 2–0 Al-Taawoun, Al-Taawoun 3–1 Hajer).

Results

More information Home \ Away, AHL ...
Home \ Away AHL FSY FAT HIL ITT KHJ NSR ORO RAE SHB SHO TWN HJR NAJ
Al-Ahli 1–1 5–0 1–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 3–0 2–2 6–1 2–1
Al-Faisaly 1–4 4–2 2–2 0–3 1–2 1–5 2–0 1–0 1–3 0–0 2–2 2–0 0–1
Al-Fateh 0–1 1–2 1–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–0 3–2 0–2 0–0 2–0 3–1 2–1
Al-Hilal 0–0 3–0 3–0 3–0 3–0 0–1 4–1 3–1 0–1 2–1 3–1 5–1 2–1
Al-Ittihad 1–1 2–1 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–3 2–1 3–1 0–1 3–2 4–3 0–1 2–1
Al-Khaleej 1–1 4–2 2–2 0–1 0–1 0–1 2–0 3–0 1–0 1–1 0–3 2–2 0–1
Al-Nassr 3–4 0–0 4–2 1–0 2–1 4–1 2–1 2–2 0–0 5–0 2–1 3–0 4–1
Al-Orobah 1–3 1–1 1–2 1–0 0–1 2–2 0–2 2–1 0–0 2–0 4–3 2–3 0–1
Al-Raed 2–4 2–1 2–3 1–1 0–1 1–2 1–2 2–1 3–1 1–0 0–0 2–1 3–2
Al-Shabab 2–3 2–1 2–2 0–1 3–4 2–0 0–3 3–0 0–0 2–1 1–2 2–0 2–1
Al-Shoulla 0–2 2–1 1–0 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–2 1–2 4–3 3–1 2–1
Al-Taawoun 1–4 0–1 1–2 0–1 4–3 4–4 0–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 3–0 3–1 0–0
Hajer 0–3 0–2 2–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–4 1–0 2–1 4–4 2–1 2–0 0–3
Najran 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–2 1–4 0–4 2–0 1–2 2–1 3–1 0–1 1–2
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Updated to match(es) played on 18 May 2015. Source: SLstat.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Season progress

More information Team ╲ Round, Al-Ahli ...
Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
Al-AhliWDDWDWWWWDWWDWDDWWWWWWWWDD
Al-FaisalyLWWWDDWLDDLDDLLWWWWLLLLLLL
Al-FatehLLLLWLWLDWLLWDDLDWLWDWDLWW
Al-HilalWWDWWWLDWWLDDWLDWWWWWWWDLW
Al-IttihadWWWWWWWLLDLLDDWWWWWWLWLWWD
Al-KhaleejLDLLLDLDDWLWLWDLDLDLWLWWWD
Al-NassrWWWWWWLWWWDWWWDWDWWLWWWWWD
Al-OrobahLWWLDLLDLDDLLDWLLLLLLLWLLL
Al-RaedLLLDLLLLDLLWWWDWLWLLLWLDDW
Al-ShababWWWWDWWWDLDWLLDDWLLLWLDWLD
Al-ShoullaLDLLLLLWLDWLDLDLLLLWDWLLDW
Al-TaawounLLDDLDWLWWLLWDWWWLLLLLDLDD
HajerLWLLWDWLWLLWDLLDLLDWWLLWLL
NajranLDDLLLLWWLWWLLLLLLWWLLDLWL
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Source: ALJ Stats
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Goals[59]
1 Ba'athist Syria Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli 22
2 Saudi Arabia Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Al-Nassr 21
3 Cameroon Paul Alo'o Al-Taawoun 15
4 Saudi Arabia Naif Hazazi Al-Shabab 14
5 Brazil Jandson Najran 13
Saudi Arabia Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Hilal
7 Brazil Élton Arábia Al-Fateh 10
Brazil Thiago Neves Al-Hilal
Democratic Republic of the Congo Doris Fuakumputu Al-Fateh
Morocco Hassan Taïr Al-Raed
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Hat-tricks

More information Player, For ...
PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Ba'athist Syria Omar Al SomahAl-AhliHajer6–1 (H)16 August 2014[60]
Cameroon Paul Alo'oAl-TaawounAl-Ittihad4–3 (H)5 December 2014[61]
Brazil MarquinhoAl-IttihadAl-Taawoun3–4 (A)5 December 2014[61]
Saudi Arabia Abdulrahman Al-GhamdiAl-IttihadAl-Faisaly3–0 (A)12 February 2015[62]
Saudi Arabia Mukhtar FallatahAl-IttihadAl-Raed3–1 (H)15 March 2015[63]
Ba'athist Syria Omar Al SomahAl-AhliAl-Nassr4–3 (A)22 March 2015[64]
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Clean sheets

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Clean
sheets[65]
1 Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Enezi Al-Nassr 10
2 Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Mayouf Al-Ahli 9
3 Saudi Arabia Waleed Abdullah Al-Shabab 8
4 Saudi Arabia Khalid Sharahili Al-Hilal 7
5 Saudi Arabia Basem Atallah Al-Taawoun 5
Saudi Arabia Ibrahim Zaid Al-Faisaly
7 Saudi Arabia Hani Al-Nahedh Al-Ittihad 4
Saudi Arabia Mansoor Al-Najai Al-Faisaly
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Discipline

Player

Club

  • Most yellow cards: 63[66]
    • Najran
  • Most red cards: 7[66]
    • Al-Shabab

Attendances

By round

More information Round, Total ...
2014–15 Saudi Pro League Attendance
Round Total Games Avg. Per Game
Round 1 139,173719,882
Round 2 34,80274,972
Round 3 31,13674,448
Round 4 86,586712,369
Round 5 43,47176,210
Round 6 29,01774,151
Round 7 115,246716,464
Round 8 27,12773,875
Round 9 86,696712,385
Round 10 78,823711,260
Round 11 31,34274,477
Round 12 63,77679,111
Round 13 85,384712,198
Round 14 23,43673,348
Round 15 50,23677,177
Round 16 122,641717,520
Round 17 26,21573,745
Round 18 71,086710,155
Round 19 69,10979,873
Round 20 52,53677,505
Round 21 115,986716,569
Round 22 23,99873,428
Round 23 59,09778,442
Round 24 47,95076,850
Round 25 43,61976,231
Round 26 105,164717,527
Total
1,664,652
182 9,146
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By team

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Al-Ittihad 550,822 60,134 11,499 42,371 +457.8%
2 Al-Ahli 443,161 60,010 12,938 34,089 +328.3%
3 Al-Nassr 210,416 59,174 5,120 16,186 −3.2%
4 Al-Hilal 169,086 40,730 2,677 13,007 +3.1%
5 Al-Orobah 47,539 6,735 173 3,657 +30.5%
6 Al-Raed 43,046 10,120 489 3,311 +85.6%
7 Al-Shabab 42,767 18,250 483 3,290 −8.3%
8 Al-Fateh 36,096 10,560 273 2,777 +23.9%
9 Al-Taawoun 34,908 6,752 335 2,685 −54.7%
10 Al-Khaleej 34,901 9,223 155 2,685 n/a

11 Hajer 21,082 4,300 160 1,622 n/a

12 Najran 12,331 2,983 45 949 −2.8%
13 Al-Shoulla 11,087 3,864 78 853 −13.8%
14 Al-Faisaly 7,410 2,229 53 570 −21.1%
League total 1,664,652 60,134 45 9,146 +86.3%
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Updated to games played on 18 May 2015
Source: [2][67][68]
Notes:
Teams played previous season in First Division.

Awards

On 5 August 2014, the SAFF announced a new set of awards that included six categories.[69] The winners were announced on 14 June 2015.[70]

See also

References

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