2018–19 Saudi Second Division

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Saudi Second Division
Season2018–19
Dates19 October 2018 – 13 April 2019
ChampionsHetten (1st title)
PromotedHetten
Al-Bukayriyah
Al-Thoqbah
Al-Taqadom
RelegatedAl-Hait
Al-Ghazwah
Al-Watani
Al-Muzahimiyyah
Matches played266
Goals scored681 (2.56 per match)
Top goalscorerAbdullah Al-Yahya
(16 goals)
Biggest home winAl-Akhdoud 5–0 Al-Suqoor
(8 February 2019)
Al-Akhdoud 5–0 Al-Ghazwah
(1 March 2019)
Al-Jandal 5–0 Al-Sahel
(29 March 2019)
Biggest away winAl-Riyadh 1–5 Al-Bukayriyah
(28 December 2018)
Highest scoringAl-Muzahimiyyah 3–5 Al-Akhdoud
(7 December 2018)
Al-Hejaz 5–3 Al-Diriyah
(8 February 2019)
Longest winning run10 games
Al-Thoqbah
Longest unbeaten run22 games
Al-Bukayriyah
Longest winless run13 games
Al-Riyadh
Longest losing run6 games
Afif
All statistics correct as of 13 April 2019.

The 2018–19 Saudi Second Division was the 43rd season of the Saudi Second Division since its establishment in 1996. Fixtures were released on 4 September 2018 and the opening round of matches was played on 19 October 2018.[1] The league season ended on 13 April 2019 with the final.

On 13 April 2019, Hetten defeated Al-Bukayriyah 1–0 in the final to win their first title.[2]

Overview[edit]

Changes[edit]

On 7 March 2018, the Saudi FF announced that the league would be increased from 20 teams to 24 teams, divided into 2 groups of 12 teams.[3]

Team changes[edit]

A total of 24 teams are contesting the league, including 9 sides from the 2017–18 season, 1 relegated team from the MS League, 10 promoted teams from the 2017–18 Third Division, and four winners from the 2017–18 relegation playoffs.

The following teams have changed division since the 2017–18 season[edit]

To Second Division[edit]

Promoted from the Third Division

Relegated from MS League

From Second Division[edit]

Promoted to MS League

Relegated to the Third Division

Teams[edit]

Group A
Club Location Stadium
Al-Akhdoud Najran Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium[1]
Al-Bukayriyah Al Bukayriyah Al-Bukayriyah Club Stadium
Al-Diriyah Diriyah Reserve Stadium in Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium (Riyadh)
Al-Ghazwah Badr Al-Majd Club Stadium (Yanbu)
Al-Hejaz Baljurashi King Saud Sport City Stadium (Al Bahah)
Al-Jandal Dumat al-Jandal Al-Oruba Club Stadium (Sakakah)
Al-Muzahimiyyah Al-Muzahmiyya Ergah Stadium
Al-Riyadh Riyadh Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Stadium
Al-Sadd Najaan Al-Shoulla Club Stadium (Al-Kharj)
Al-Sahel Qatif Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium (Khobar)
Al-Suqoor Tabuk King Khalid Sport City Stadium
Al-Taqadom Al Mithnab Al-Najma Club Stadium (Unaizah)

1: ^ Al-Akhdoud will play at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium due to the ongoing war in Yemen

Group B
Club Location Stadium
Afif Afif Al-Dera'a Club Stadium (Dawadmi)
Al-Arabi Unaizah Al-Najma Club Stadium
Al-Dera'a Dawadmi Al-Dera'a Club Stadium
Al-Hait Ha'il Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium
Al-Jubail Jubail Al-Jubail Club Stadium
Al-Kholood Ar Rass Al-Hazem Club Stadium
Al-Sharq Ad Dilam Al-Shoulla Club Stadium (Al-Kharj)
Al-Thoqbah Khobar Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium
Al-Watani Tabuk King Khalid Sport City Stadium
Arar Arar Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Musa'ed Sport City Stadium
Hetten Samtah King Faisal Sport City Stadium
Wej Ta'if King Fahd Stadium

Foreign players[edit]

The number of foreign players is limited to 2 per team.

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

Club Player 1 Player 2 Former Players
Afif Egypt Moatazbellah Hassan Ghana Aboubakar Mahadi
Al Akhdoud Brazil Patrick Carvalho Brazil Lecão Tunisia Aymen Souayah
Tunisia Haythem Ben Youssef
Al-Arabi Nigeria Emmanuel Okoye Tunisia Ahmed Hosni Egypt Mostafa Galal
Nigeria Udoh Joshua
Al-Bukayriyah Egypt Shehab El-Din Ahmed Tunisia Adel Hamani [ar]
Al-Dera'a Nigeria Musab Lukaku Tunisia Naoufel Youssefi Eritrea Sultan Azaz
Al-Diriyah Republic of the Congo Oumar Toure Tunisia Khaldoun Mansour Guinea Mohammed Camara
Al-Ghazwah Egypt Mohamed Abo Sheashaa Nigeria Omran Saeed [ar]
Al-Hait Ghana Camara Tunisia Mohamed Sghaier Nasri Tunisia Marouane Tritar
Al-Hejaz Egypt Mostafa Kahraba Nigeria Prince Nnake
Al-Jandal Ghana Mohamed Kassory [ar] Mali Samba Diallo Egypt Islam Adel
Al-Jubail Ivory Coast Koffi Adama Ivory Coast Yaya Traoré
Al-Kholood Brazil Venancio Silvs Guinea Aboubacar Camara Brazil Luiz Claudio
Al-Muzahimiyyah Brazil Luiz Claudio Egypt Mohamed Osama Egypt Hany El Agazy
Al-Riyadh Nigeria Kazim Balimo Ivory Coast Cedric Fein
Nigeria Camar Jebril
Al-Sadd Egypt Mohamed Mohsen Tunisia Amir Omrani Egypt Abdelhamid Sami
Al-Sahel Brazil Geraldo Egypt Amr El Shahat [ar] Brazil Marcos
Al-Sharq Egypt Mohamed Shika Yemen Fouad Al Omaisi [ar] Egypt Mohamed Abo Sheashaa
Egypt Wael Farrag
Al-Suqoor Ivory Coast Cedric Fein Ghana Moussa Euller Syria Abdulqader Majarmsh [ar]
State of Palestine Ahmed Jamal
Al-Taqadom Egypt Hamada El Ghannam Egypt Ragab El Arabi Brazil Douglas da Silva
Brazil Francesco da Silva
Al-Thoqbah Ghana Kaba Mohamad Mexico Frederick Ogangan Tunisia Bassem Elmaneaai
Al-Watani Egypt Youssef Hassan Tunisia Wael Chehaibi Cameroon Jean Bapidi
Cameroon Barga Anael
Egypt Alaa Maher
Arar Brazil Fernando dos Santos Zimbabwe Brian Amidu
Hetten Tunisia Aymen Kthiri Tunisia Mohamed Kasdoghli Tunisia Oussama Ben Maammar
Wej Burkina Faso Issouf Ouattara Cameroon Jean Bapidi Egypt Amr El Shahat [ar]

Group A[edit]

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Al-Bukayriyah (P) 22 13 9 0 37 13 +24 48 Promotion to the MS League and Qualification to the Final
2 Al-Taqadom (P) 22 13 4 5 37 24 +13 43 Promotion to MS League
3 Al-Jandal 22 12 5 5 31 16 +15 41
4 Al-Hejaz 22 12 2 8 39 29 +10 38
5 Al-Sadd 22 10 7 5 40 25 +15 37
6 Al-Sahel 22 7 9 6 26 25 +1 30
7 Al-Akhdoud 22 7 5 10 39 34 +5 26
8 Al-Diriyah 22 7 3 12 25 37 −12 24
9 Al-Suqoor 22 4 9 9 22 37 −15 21
10 Al-Riyadh 22 4 8 10 21 36 −15 20
11 Al-Muzahimiyyah (R) 22 4 5 13 22 41 −19 17 Relegation to the Third Division
12 Al-Ghazwah (R) 22 2 8 12 16 38 −22 14
Updated to match(es) played on 6 April 2019. Source: Goalzz
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) Play-off (only for deciding champion, promotion and relegation).[4][5]
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Group B[edit]

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Hetten (C, P) 22 12 6 4 38 19 +19 42 Promotion to the MS League and Qualification to the Final
2 Al-Thoqbah (P) 22 12 4 6 34 22 +12 40 Promotion to MS League
3 Al-Kholood 22 10 5 7 29 19 +10 35
4 Wej 22 8 10 4 36 34 +2 34
5 Al-Sharq 22 8 6 8 24 23 +1 30
6 Al-Arabi 22 6 11 5 21 20 +1 29
7 Al-Dera'a 22 7 6 9 23 31 −8 27
8 Al-Jubail 22 7 5 10 30 37 −7 26
9 Arar 22 6 7 9 21 23 −2 25[a]
10 Afif 22 8 1 13 24 35 −11 25[a]
11 Al-Hait (R) 22 6 6 10 20 29 −9 24 Relegation to the Third Division
12 Al-Watani (R) 22 5 7 10 21 29 −8 22
Updated to match(es) played on 5 April 2019. Source: Goalzz
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) Play-off (only for deciding champion, promotion and relegation).[4][5]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Arar finished ahead of Afif on overall goal difference: Arar −2, Afif −11 (Arar 3–1 Afif, Afif 2–0 Arar).

Third place play-off[edit]

Al-Taqadom, who finished 2nd in Group A faced Al-Thoqbah who finished 2nd in Group B to decide the third-placed team.[6] Al-Thoqbah defeated Al-Taqadom 3–1 after extra time to finish in third place.

Al-Taqadom1–3 (a.e.t.)Al-Thoqbah
Bo Saeed 14' Report Al-Nakhli 41' (pen.)
Hassan 107', 119'
Referee: Abdulaziz Al-Shehri

Final[edit]

The winners of each group will play a one-legged final to decide the champion of the 2018–19 Second Division. As winners of Group A, Al-Bukayriyah faced Hetten, the winners of Group B. The match was scheduled to be played on 12 April 2019, but was abandoned after 32 minutes due to heavy snowfall. Hetten won the match 1–0 and won their first ever Second Division title.[7]

Al-Bukayriyah0–1Hetten
Report Muharraq 78'
Referee: Mohammed Al-Daqash

The match was abandoned after 32 minutes due to heavy snowfall, and was resumed on 13 April 2019, 16:00, from the point of abandonment.[8]

Statistics[edit]