1997–98 Saudi Premier League

Saudi Premier League
Season1997–98
ChampionsAl-Hilal (8th title)
RelegatedAl-Shoulla
Al-Taawoun
Asian Club ChampionshipAl-Hilal
Top goalscorerSulaiman Al-Hadaithy (15 goals)

Statistics of the 1997–98 Saudi Premier League.

Clubs

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Locations of teams in the 1997–98 Saudi Professional League
Club Location Stadium Head coach
Al-Ahli Jeddah Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Brazil Cabralzinho
Al-Ettifaq Dammam Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium
Al-Hilal Riyadh King Fahd Stadium Romania Ilie Balaci
Al-Ittihad Jeddah Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Hungary Dezső Novák
Al-Najma Unaizah Department of Education Stadium
Al-Nassr Riyadh King Fahd Stadium France Jean Fernandez
Al-Riyadh Riyadh King Fahd Stadium Saudi Arabia Khalid Al-Koroni
Al-Shabab Riyadh King Fahd Stadium Brazil Oscar
Al-Shoulla Al-Kharj Al-Shoulla Club Stadium
Al-Taawoun Buraydah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium
Al-Tai Ḥaʼil Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium
Al-Wehda Mecca King Abdul Aziz Stadium

Foreign players

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Former players
Al-Ahli Brazil Sérgio Ricardo
Al-Ettifaq
Al-Hilal Colombia John Jairo Tréllez Ecuador Gilson de Souza France Philippe Vercruysse Zambia Elijah Tana Peru Carlos Flores
Romania George Timiș
Al-Ittihad Brazil Mário Tilico Brazil Toninho Morocco Ahmed Bahja South Africa Zane Moosa
Al-Najma
Al-Nassr Bulgaria Hristo Stoichkov Ivory Coast Sam Abouo Qatar Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Ghana Ohene Kennedy
Al-Riyadh
Al-Shabab Brazil Emirson Ferrera Kuwait Bader Al Halabeej Brazil Flávio Galvão
Al-Shoulla
Al-Taawoun
Al-Tai
Al-Wehda

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Al-Hilal 22 14 3 5 40 24 +16 45 Golden 4
2 Al-Najma 22 13 2 7 34 28 +6 41
3 Al-Shabab 22 10 9 3 46 29 +17 39
4 Al-Ahli 22 12 2 8 38 30 +8 38
5 Al-Nassr 22 11 4 7 34 27 +7 37
6 Al-Ettifaq 22 8 7 7 28 33 −5 31
7 Al-Ittihad 22 7 7 8 28 32 −4 28
8 Al-Tai 22 5 9 8 28 38 −10 24
9 Al-Riyadh 22 6 5 11 41 38 +3 23
10 Al-Wehda 22 5 8 9 28 33 −5 23
11 Al-Shoulla 22 4 7 11 23 36 −13 19 Relegate to Saudi First Division League
12 Al-Taawoun 22 3 5 14 18 38 −20 14
Source: [citation needed]

Playoffs

Semifinals

16 March 1998 Al-Ahli 1–1 Al-Hilal Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
Talal Al-Meshal 35' Yousuf Al-Thunayan 20' Referee: Yousef Al-Aqeely
17 March 1998 Al-Shabab 4–1 Al-Najma King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
Emirson Ferrera 24'
Abdullah Al-Waked 27'
Abdullah Al-Waked 40'
Marzouk Al-Otaibi 43'		 Sulaiman Al-Hadaithy 35' (pen.) Referee: Abdul Rahman Al-Zaid
19 March 1998 Al-Hilal 2–1 Al-Ahli King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
Nawaf Al-Temyat 83'
Khalid Al-Temawi 87'		 Hamza Saleh 58' Referee: Abdulaziz Al-Dakhil
20 March 1998 Al-Najma 0–1 Al-Shabab Department of Education Stadium, Unaizah
Saeed Al-Owairan 92' (pen.) Referee: Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiman

Third place match

23 March 1998 Al-Najma 1–2 (a.e.t) Al-Ahli Department of Education Stadium, Unaizah
Mohammed Al-Munif 18' Talal Al-Meshal 11' (pen.)
Bandar Al-Rais 95'		 Referee: Zafer Abu Zenada

Final

25 March 1998 Al-Hilal 3–2 (a.e.t) Al-Shabab King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
Sami Al-Jaber 67' (pen.)
Sami Al-Jaber 90'
Abdullah Al-Jumaan Al-Dosari 116'		 Fahad Al-Mehallel 30'
Fahad Al-Mehallel 37'		 Referee: Omer Al Mehannah


 Saudi Premier League
1997–98 winners 
Al-Hilal
8th title