2012–13 Saudi Professional League

The 2012–13 Saudi Professional League (known as the Zain Professional League for sponsorship reasons) was the 37th season of the Saudi Professional League, the top Saudi professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1976. The season began on 2 August 2012 and ended on 27 April 2013.[6] Al-Shabab were the defending champions.[7] The league was contested by the 12 teams from the 2011–12 season as well as Al-Shoulla and Al-Wehda, who joined as the promoted clubs from the 2011–12 First Division. They replace Al-Ansar and Al-Qadisiyah who were relegated to the 2012–13 First Division.

Professional League
Season2012–2013
Dates2 August 2012 – 27 April 2013
ChampionsAl-Fateh (1st title)
RelegatedHajer
Al-Wehda
AFC Champions LeagueAl-Fateh
Al-Ittihad
Al-Hilal
Al-Shabab
GCC Champions LeagueAl-Raed
Al-Shoulla
Matches played182
Goals scored531 (2.92 per match)
Top goalscorerSebastián Tagliabué (19 goals)
Biggest home winAl-Hilal 6–0 Al-Raed
(28 September 2012)
Biggest away winNajran 0–6 Al-Hilal
(23 August 2012)
Highest scoringAl-Wehda 2–5 Al-Shabab
(28 August 2012)
Al-Faisaly 4–3 Al-Wehda
(19 October 2012)
Al-Faisaly 6–1 Najran
(18 April 2013)
Longest winning run10 games[1]
Al-Hilal
Longest unbeaten run17 games[2]
Al-Fateh
Longest winless run19 games[3]
Al-Wehda
Longest losing run11 games[4]
Al-Wehda
Highest attendance28,188[5]
Al-Ahli 1–1 Al-Ittihad
(14 February 2013)
Lowest attendance60[5]
Al-Shoulla 1–1 Al-Faisaly
(30 January 2013)
Average attendance3,544

On 14 April, Al-Fateh won their first League title, with 2 games to spare, following a 1–0 home win over Al-Ahli.[8] Al-Fateh became the seventh club to win the Pro League. This is considered by many to be one of the greatest shocks in Saudi football history, especially considering that Al-Fateh were promoted to the Pro League for the first time only four years earlier.[9]

Al-Wehda were the first team to be relegated following a 2–1 home defeat to Al-Faisaly on 29 March.[10] Hajer became the second and final team to be relegated following a 2–1 defeat away to Al-Shabab on the final matchday.[11]

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 Al-Shoulla (returning after an absence of eight seasons) and Al-Wehda (returning after a season's absence). They replaced Al-Qadisiyah (ending their three-year top-flight spell) and Al-Ansar (who were relegated after one season in the top flight).

Stadiums and locations
Locations of teams in the 2012–13 Saudi Professional League
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Al-Ahli Jeddah Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium
King Abdul Aziz Stadium[lower-alpha 1]		 25,000[12]
33,195[13]
Al-Ettifaq Dammam Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium 21,701[14]
Al-Faisaly Harmah Prince Salman Sport City Stadium 5,200[15]
Al-Fateh Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium 19,096[16]
Al-Hilal Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium		 62,685[17]
22,500[18]
Al-Ittihad Jeddah Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium
King Abdul Aziz Stadium[lower-alpha 1]		 25,000[12]
33,195[13]
Al-Nassr Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium		 62,685[17]
22,500[18]
Al-Raed Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium 23,600[19]
Al-Shabab Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium		 62,685[17]
22,500[18]
Al-Shoulla Al-Kharj Al-Shoulla Club Stadium 8,000[20]
Al-Taawoun Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium 23,600[19]
Al-Wehda Mecca King Abdul Aziz Stadium 33,195[13]
Hajer Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium 19,096[16]
Najran Najran Al Akhdoud Club Stadium 3,200[21]
  1. Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad played at the King Abdul Aziz Stadium, from 23 November onwards, due to the expansion of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal stadium.

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Al-Ahli Aleksandar Ilić Taisir Al-Jassim Umbro STC, Toyota1, ExxonMobil2
Al-Ettifaq Maciej Skorża Saleh Bashir Puma Toyota1
Al-Faisaly Marc Brys Omar Abdulaziz Joma ALDREES, Roco2
Al-Fateh Fathi Al-Jabal Hamdan Al-Hamdan Lotto Kia Motors, Fuchsia1
Al-Hilal Zlatko Dalić Yasser Al-Qahtani Adidas Mobily
Al-Ittihad Beñat San José Mohammed Noor SportONE STC, Toyota1, ExxonMobil2
Al-Nassr José Carreño Hussein Abdulghani NFC STC, Toyota1, ExxonMobil2
Al-Raed Vlatko Kostov Issam Erraki Hattrick Al-Remeikhany, Al Qassim National Hospital1
Al-Shabab Michel Preud'homme Ahmed Otaif Adidas STC, Toyota1, ExxonMobil2
Al-Shoulla Ahmad Al-Ajlani Burj Maodah Hattrick Anfal Dalton
Al-Taawoun Taoufik Rouabah Ahmed Al-Harbi Hattrick
Al-Wehda Khalil Obaid Sulaiman Amido Hattrick
Hajer Tarek Yehia Mansoor Al-Najai Uhlsport
Najran Gjoko Hadžievski Saheb Al-Abdullah Adidas
  • 1 On the back of the strip.
  • 2 On the right sleeve of the strip.

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure		 Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Al-Faisaly Zlatko Dalić End of contract 30 April 2012 Pre-season Marc Brys 2 June 2012[22]
Al-Taawoun Khalid Kamal (caretaker) End of caretaker period 30 April 2012 Gjoko Hadžievski 6 May 2012[23]
Najran Gjoko Hadžievski Signed by Al-Taawoun 6 May 2012 Miodrag Ješić 31 May 2012[24]
Al-Hilal Ivan Hašek Sacked 11 May 2012 Antoine Kombouaré 28 June 2012[25]
Al-Ettifaq Ammar Souayah End of contract 30 May 2012 Alain Geiger 7 June 2012[26]
Al-Wehda Bashir Abdel Samad Resigned 30 August 2012[27] 14th Badr Hawsawi (caretaker) 30 August 2012
Al-Nassr Francisco Maturana Sacked 2 September 2012[28] 6th Alejandro Dutra (caretaker) 2 September 2012[28]
Al-Nassr Alejandro Dutra (caretaker) End of caretaker period 15 September 2012 6th José Daniel Carreño 15 September 2012[29]
Al-Wehda Badr Hawsawi (caretaker) 18 September 2012 14th Wajdi Essid 18 September 2012[30]
Al-Ettifaq Alain Geiger Sacked 19 September 2012 10th Maciej Skorża 19 September 2012[31]
Hajer Ednaldo Patricio 29 September 2012 11th Luiz Neto (caretaker) 29 September 2012[32]
Hajer Luiz Neto (caretaker) End of caretaker period 4 October 2012 12th Tarek Yehia 4 October 2012[33]
Al-Shoulla Mohamed Salah Sacked 31 December 2012[34] 13th Ahmad Al-Ajlani 1 January 2013[35]
Najran Miodrag Ješić 2 January 2013 8th Khemais Labidi 6 January 2013[36]
Al-Wehda Wajdi Essid 27 January 2013 14th Khalil Obaid 27 January 2013[37]
Al-Hilal Antoine Kombouaré 31 January 2013 2nd Zlatko Dalić 31 January 2013[38]
Al-Raed Ammar Souayah Resigned 1 February 2013[39] 9th Vlatko Kostov 2 February 2013[40]
Al-Taawoun Gjoko Hadžievski Sacked 21 February 2013[41] 11th Taoufik Rouabah 25 February 2013[42]
Al-Ittihad Raúl Caneda 23 February 2013[43] 7th Beñat San José 23 February 2013[43]
Al-Ahli Karel Jarolím 28 February 2013[44] 5th Aleksandar Ilić 28 February 2013[44]
Najran Khemais Labidi 1 March 2013 9th Alhassan Al-Yami (caretaker) 1 March 2013[45]
Najran Alhassan Al-Yami (caretaker) End of caretaker period 6 March 2013 8th Gjoko Hadžievski 6 March 2013[46]

Foreign players

The number of foreign players is restricted to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries.[47]

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

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC Player Former Players
Al-Ahli Bruno César Victor Simões Jairo Palomino Amad Al-Hosni Diego Morales
Al-Ettifaq Carlos Prince Tagoe Ahmed Kano Cássio
Júnior Xuxa
Al-Faisaly Naby Soumah Ismail Al-Ajmi Christophe Grondin Yaseen al-Bakhit
Al-Fateh Élton José Doris Fuakumputu Kemokho Cissokho Shadi Abu Hash'hash
Al-Hilal Ozéia Wesley Gustavo Bolívar Yoo Byung-soo Adil Hermach
Kader Mangane
Al-Ittihad Bill Modeste M'bami György Sándor Anas Sharbini 1 Diego Souza
Faouzi Abdelghani
Al-Nassr Rafael Bastos Hosny Abd Rabo Angelos Charisteas Mohamed Husain Damián Manso
Jaime Ayoví
Shavkat Mullajanov
Al-Raed Xuxa Yves Diba Ilunga Issam Erraki Abdul Salam Al-Mukhaini
Al-Shabab Sebastián Tagliabúe Fernando Menegazzo Marcelo Camacho Kwak Tae-hwi Server Djeparov
Al-Shoulla Lassana Fané Mamadou Kondo Hassan Taïr Abdulla Fatadi Philip Boampong
Al-Taawoun Dario Jertec Thierno Bah Waheed Oseni Abdul Aziz Al-Muqbali Hadj Bouguèche
Mohammad Al-Basha
Dejan Rusič
Al-Wehda Thiago Gomes Vinícius Reche Pa-Modou Kah Ahmad Sharbini 2 Sékou Doumbia
Mohamed Bashir
Hajer Ayman Abdel-Aziz Ahmed Bakri Oussou Konan Abdelatif Bahdari Moustapha Moctar
Godwin Attram
Hazem Jawdat
Najran Farid Cheklam Hamza Al-Dardour Wael Ayan Jehad Al-Hussain
  • ^1 Anas Sharbini has Jordanian citizenship and was counted as an Asian player.
  • ^2 Ahmad Sharbini has Jordanian citizenship and was counted as an Asian player.

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Al-Fateh (C) 26 20 4 2 52 23 +29 64 Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage
2 Al-Hilal 26 17 5 4 62 26 +36 56
3 Al-Shabab 26 17 5 4 53 36 +17 56
4 Al-Nassr 26 14 8 4 41 24 +17 50
5 Al-Ahli 26 12 8 6 51 33 +18 44
6 Al-Ettifaq 26 9 8 9 33 38 −5 35
7 Al-Ittihad 26 8 9 9 36 36 0 33 Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage[lower-alpha 1]
8 Al-Raed 26 7 11 8 30 41 −11 32 Qualification for the GCC Champions League
9 Al-Shoulla 26 8 6 12 32 42 −10 30
10 Najran 26 6 7 13 31 52 −21 25
11 Al-Faisaly 26 6 6 14 35 43 −8 24
12 Al-Taawoun 26 3 10 13 25 37 −12 19
13 Hajer (R) 26 3 7 16 24 48 −24 16 Relegation to the First Division
14 Al-Wehda (R) 26 2 6 18 26 52 −26 12
Source: SLstat
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Total goal difference; 3) Total goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding champion, relegation and AFC competitions participation).
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Al-Ittihad qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage as 2013 King Cup of Champions winners.

Results
Home \ Away AHL ETT FSY FAT HIL ITT NSR RAE SHB SHO TWN WHD HJR NAJ
Al-Ahli 0–2 2–1 3–3 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–2 1–0 5–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 5–1
Al-Ettifaq 1–4 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–0 1–3 1–0 3–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–2
Al-Faisaly 0–3 2–3 0–0 0–1 0–2 1–2 2–2 1–3 0–2 2–1 4–3 3–0 6–1
Al-Fateh 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–2 2–1 2–1 3–1 3–0 4–2
Al-Hilal 4–1 1–1 1–0 1–2 4–2 0–1 6–0 3–0 4–2 0–0 2–0 2–0 3–1
Al-Ittihad 1–3 3–0 2–2 0–2 1–2 1–1 2–2 1–2 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–2 2–0
Al-Nassr 2–2 2–0 2–1 0–0 1–3 0–1 4–0 0–0 3–1 3–2 3–1 1–0 1–1
Al-Raed 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–3 1–2 2–2 0–2 0–1 2–2 1–0 1–1 3–2 1–1
Al-Shabab 2–2 3–1 3–2 2–4 3–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–1 2–1 3–1 2–1 4–0
Al-Shoulla 1–3 0–1 1–1 2–3 1–3 1–0 1–2 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–5
Al-Taawoun 2–1 1–1 2–0 0–1 1–4 3–3 1–2 2–2 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–0 1–2
Al-Wehda 1–3 0–3 1–2 2–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 0–1 2–5 2–3 1–1 1–2 1–2
Hajer 1–4 2–3 3–3 1–2 2–2 0–2 0–1 1–2 1–2 0–4 0–1 2–0 1–0
Najran 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–2 0–6 2–0 1–1 0–1 2–3 1–2 1–1 1–1 2–2
Updated to match(es) played on 27 April 2013. Source: SLstat.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals[48]
1 Sebastián Tagliabué Al-Shabab 19
2 Wesley Al-Hilal 17
Doris Fuakumputu Al-Fateh
4 Yasser Al-Qahtani Al-Hilal 13
5 Victor Simões Al-Ahli 12
Hassan Taïr Al-Shoulla
7 Élton Al-Fateh 11
8 Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Al-Nassr 10
Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Shabab
Hamza Al-Dardour Najran
Yoo Byung-soo Al-Hilal
Yves Diba Ilunga Al-Raed

Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Sebastián TagliabuéAl-ShababAl-Faisaly3–1 (A)7 August 2012[49]
WesleyAl-HilalNajran6–0 (A)23 August 2012[50]
Yasser Al-QahtaniAl-HilalAl-Raed6–0 (H)28 September 2012[51]
Victor SimõesAl-AhliAl-Shoulla3–1 (A)4 December 2012[52]
Zamil Al-SulimAl-EttifaqHajer3–2 (A)8 March 2013[53]
Notes

(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Most assists
Rank Player Club Assists[54]
1 Marcelo Camacho Al-Shabab 15
2 Taisir Al-Jassim Al-Ahli 11
3 Élton Al-Fateh 10
4 Hamdan Al-Hamdan Al-Fateh 7
5 Jehad Al-Hussain Najran 6
Abdullah Al-Asta Al-Shabab
Yaseen al-Bakhit Al-Faisaly
8 Amad Al-Hosni Al-Ahli 5
Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Al-Nassr
Yahya Al-Shehri Al-Ettifaq

Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean
sheets[55]
1 Khaled Naseer Al-Shoulla 7
Abdullah Al-Enezi Al-Nassr
3 Abdullah Al-Owaishir Al-Fateh 6
Abdullah Al-Sudairy Al-Hilal
5 Mabrouk Zaid Al-Ittihad 5
6 Fayz Al-Sabiay Al-Ettifaq 4
Mohammad Sharifi Al-Fateh
Fahad Al-Thunayan Al-Taawoun
Mustafa Malayekah Hajer

Player
  • Most red cards: 1[56]
    • 22 players

Club
  • Most yellow cards: 60[57]
    • Hajer
  • Most red cards: 4[58]
    • Al-Nassr

Attendances

By team
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Al-Ittihad 115,892 25,026 1,077 8,915 +26.9%†
2 Al-Ahli 95,402 28,188 1,884 7,339 −33.5%†
3 Al-Fateh 79,947 21,037 856 6,150 +330.1%†
4 Al-Hilal 76,800 18,437 1,349 5,908 −20.9%†
5 Al-Nassr 51,604 14,162 657 3,970 −4.0%†
6 Al-Raed 47,496 10,311 508 3,654 −48.9%†
7 Al-Taawoun 37,285 8,285 408 2,868 −58.9%†
8 Al-Ettifaq 35,221 9,740 111 2,709 −33.1%†
9 Al-Shabab 33,187 8,635 353 2,553 −5.8%†
10 Hajer 20,044 5,386 117 1,542 +11.8%†
11 Al-Wehda 15,279 3,914 120 1,175 n/a†

†

12 Najran 14,040 3,500 107 1,080 +25.7%†
13 Al-Faisaly 13,867 2,167 215 1,067 −11.4%†
14 Al-Shoulla 8,858 3,455 60 681 n/a†

†

League total 644,922 28,188 60 3,544 −19.0%†

Updated to games played on 27 April 2013
Source: [59][60][61]
Notes:
† Teams played previous season in First Division.

References
  1. "أكثر فريق حقق فوزاً متتالي". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  2. "أكثر فريق لم يخسر في مباريات متتالية". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  3. "أكثر فريق لم يفز في مباريات متتالية". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  4. "أكثر فريق حقق خسائر متتالية". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  5. "أكثر مباراة في عدد الجمهور". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  6. "جدول الدوري". Archived from the original on 21 April 2016.
  7. "الشباب بطلاً لدوري زين".
  8. "الفتح يحقق لقب الدوري للمرة الأولى في تاريخه".
  9. "حقق الدرع للمرة الأولى بعد 55 عاماً على تأسيس النادي".
  10. "نقطتين تفصل الفتح عن (زين).. الهلال يتشبث بالأمل من شباك الاتحاد.. والفيصلي يكتب قصيدة وداع الوحدة". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  11. "الشباب يوقع على هبوط هجر.. والحياة تعود إلى عروق التعاون ب البقاء".
  12. "استاد الأمير عبدالله الفيصل".
  13. "King Abdul Aziz Sport City Stadium". Archived from the original on 6 May 2016.
  14. "استاد الأمير محمد بن فهد". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  15. "ملعب مدينة الملك سلمان بن عبدالعزيز الرياضية". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  16. "ملعب مدينة الأمير عبدالله بن جلوي الرياضية". Archived from the original on 10 April 2016.
  17. "استاد الملك فهد الدولي". Archived from the original on 23 March 2016.
  18. "استاد الأمير فيصل بن فهد". Archived from the original on 10 April 2016.
  19. "استاد مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  20. "al shoulla stadium".
  21. "ملعب نادي الأخدود". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  22. "الفيصلي يوقع مع المدرب البلجيكي بريس".
  23. "نادي التعاون يتعاقد مع المقدوني جوكيكا".
  24. "الصربي مايودراج والكوسوفي نادجي يدربان نجران".
  25. "الهلال يوقع رسمياً مع الفرنسي "أنتوان كومواريه"".
  26. "الاتفاق السعودي يتعاقد مع جيجر مدربا للفريق".
  27. "بشير عبدالصمد يستقيل من تدريب الوحدة".
  28. "ماتورانا خارج أسوار النصر .. والنصر يفتح خط مع ديسلفا وأخر أوربي".
  29. "رسمياً .. جوزيه كارينو يتولي منصب القيادة لفريق النصر خلفاً لماتورانا".
  30. "اجتماع اللجنة العليا للنادي .. التونسي الصيد يتولى تدريب الوحدة".
  31. "خلفا لغيغر : الاتفاق يتعاقد مع البولندي مانسي".
  32. "هجر يقيل البرازيلي باتريسيو ومساعده يقود الفريق بشكل مؤقت".
  33. "هجر ينهي ملف الجهاز الفني بالتعاقد مع طارق يحيى".
  34. "الشعلة يقيل مدربه والبديل العجلاني".
  35. "العجلاني مدربا الشعلة".
  36. "خميس العبيدي مدربًا لنجران بدلا من الصربي ميودراج".
  37. "الوحدة يقيل الصيد.. ويكلف خليل بالمهمة".
  38. "الهلال يقيل كومبواريه وتعيين زلاتكو مدرباً للفريق".
  39. "السويح يستقيل من تدريب الرائد والهواربي بديلاً له".
  40. "مدرب مقدوني بديلاً للسويح في تدريب الرائد".
  41. "إقالة جوكيكا من تدريب التعاون وابن يحيى البديل".
  42. "التعاون يوقع مع روابح".
  43. "إقالة كانيدا ومساعده يتولى المهمة".
  44. "الأهلي يقيل المدرب جاروليم ويعين الصربي أليكس بدلا منه".
  45. "نجران يستغني عن العبيدي ويكلف اليامي وينتظر جوكيكا".
  46. "نجران يعفو عن الثلاثي.. وجوكيكا يبدأ المهمة في جدة".
  47. "عدد اللاعبين الأجانب". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  48. "أكثر اللاعبين تسجيلاً للأهداف". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  49. "Al Faisaly 1 – 3 Al Shabab". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  50. "Najran 0 – 6 Al Hilal". Archived from the original on 6 April 2016.
  51. "Al Hilal 6 – 0 Al Raed". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  52. "Al Shoulla 1 – 3 Al Ahli". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  53. "Hajer 2 – 3 Al Ettifaq". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  54. "أكثر اللاعبين صناعة للأهداف". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  55. "أكثر الحراس محافظة على شباكه". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  56. "عدد الكروت الملونة التي أبرزت". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  57. "أكثر فريق حصل على كروت صفراء". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  58. "أكثر فريق حصل على كروت حمراء". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  59. "أكثر مباراة في عدد الجمهور". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  60. "أكثر فريق معدل حضور جماهيري على أرضه". Archived from the original on 7 May 2016.
  61. "أكثر فريق حضور جماهيري على أرضه". Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
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