2015–16 Saudi First Division

2015–16 Saudi First Division League was the 39th season of the Saudi First Division League since its establishment in 1976. The season started on 21 August 2015 and concluded on 23 April 2016.

Saudi First Division League

Season	2015–16
Champions	Al-Ettifaq (1st title)
Promoted	Al-Ettifaq Al-Batin
Relegated	Al-Riyadh Al-Diriyah Al-Mujazzal
Matches played	240
Goals scored	584 (2.43 per match)
Top goalscorer	Abdulfattah Adam (20 goals)
Biggest home win	Al-Batin 5–0 Al-Riyadh (5 September 2015)
Biggest away win	Al-Nahda 0–5 Al-Ettifaq (17 September 2015)
Highest scoring	Al-Mujazzal 4–3 Al-Riyadh (21 August 2015) Al-Jeel 4–3 Al-Diriyah (17 April 2016)
Longest winning run	4 matches Al-Mujazzal Al-Shoulla
Longest unbeaten run	15 matches Al-Ettifaq
Longest winless run	26 matches Al-Diriyah
Longest losing run	10 matches Al-Diriyah
← 2014–15 2016–17 →

On 23 April 2016, Al-Mujazzal won the league title and earned promotion to 2016–17 Pro League along with Al-Ettifaq, while Al-Batin qualified to the promotion play-offs. Al-Nahda, Al-Riyadh and Al-Diriyah were relegated to the 2016–17 Saudi Second Division.^[1]

On 21 July 2016, the SAFF announced the relegation of Al-Mujazzal to the Saudi Second Division due to match fixing.^[2] On 3 August 2016, they announced that Al-Ettifaq were crowned champions and Al-Batin would be promoted to the 2016–17 Professional League instead of Al-Mujazzal, and they also announced that Al-Mujazzal would be relegated instead of Al-Nahda.^[3][4]

Teams

A total of 16 teams are contesting the league, including 11 sides from the 2014–15 season, two relegated from the 2014–15 Saudi Pro League and three promoted from the 2014–15 Saudi Second Division. Al-Shoulla and Al-Orobah join as the two relegated sides.^[5] Damac were promoted as champions, while Al-Nojoom were promoted as Group B winners. Ohod secured the final berth by winning the playoffs.^[6]

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2014–15 season.

To the First Division

Promoted from the Second Division

• Damac
• Al-Nojoom
• Ohod

Relegated from the Pro League

• Al-Shoulla
• Al-Orobah

From the First Division

Relegated to the Second Division

• Al-Safa
• Abha
• Hetten

Promoted to the Pro League

• Al-Qadsiah
• Al-Wehda

Stadia and locations

Damac

Al-Tai

Al-Riyadh

Al-Ettifaq
Al-Nahda

Al-Orobah

Al-Shoulla

Al-Jeel
Al-Nojoom

Al-Watani

Al-Feiha
Al-Mojzel

Al-Hazm

Ohod

Al-Diriyah

Al-Batin

Locations of teams in the 2015–16 Saudi First Division

Club	Location	Stadium
Al-Batin	Hafar al-Batin	Al-Batin Club Stadium
Al-Diriyah	Diriyah	Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium
Al-Ettifaq	Dammam	Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium
Al-Feiha	Al Majma'ah	Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Sport City Stadium
Al-Hazm	Ar Rass	Al Hazm Club Stadium
Al-Jeel	Al-Hasa	Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium
Al-Mojzel	Al Majma'ah	Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Sport City Stadium
Al-Nahda	Dammam	Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium
Al-Nojoom	Al-Hasa	Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium
Al-Orobah	Sakakah	Al-Oruba Club Stadium
Al-Riyadh	Riyadh	Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium
Al-Shoulla	Al Kharj	Al-Shoalah Club Stadium
Al-Tai	Ha'il	Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium
Al-Watani	Tabuk	King Khalid Sport City Stadium
Damac	Khamis Mushait	Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium
Ohod	Medina	Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Stadium

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Al-Ettifaq (C, P)	30	14	12	4	46	21	+25	54	Promotion to Professional League
2	Al-Batin (P)	30	15	8	7	49	31	+18	53
3	Al-Orobah	30	15	6	9	49	32	+17	51
4	Damac	30	12	9	9	36	34	+2	45
5	Al-Jeel	30	11	11	8	43	41	+2	44
6	Al-Shoulla	30	11	10	9	33	33	0	43
7	Al-Tai	30	12	6	12	38	36	+2	42
8	Al-Feiha	30	9	10	11	33	41	−8	37[a]
9	Ohod	30	8	13	9	29	33	−4	37[a]
10	Al-Watani	30	7	15	8	29	29	0	36
11	Al-Nojoom	30	8	11	11	34	37	−3	35
12	Al-Hazm	30	8	9	13	32	42	−10	33
13	Al-Nahda	30	8	9	13	32	45	−13	33
14	Al-Riyadh (R)	30	6	11	13	33	41	−8	29	Relegation to Second Division
15	Al-Diriyah (R)	30	2	8	20	22	56	−34	14
16	Al-Mojzel[b] (R)	30	14	12	4	46	32	+14	54

Source: goalzz.com
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).^[7]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. Al-Feiha ahead on head-to-head record; Ohod–Al-Feiha 2–2, Al-Feiha–Ohod 1–0.
2. Al-Mojzel were originally the first-placed team, but were placed at the bottom of the league table due to match-fixing scandals on 21 July 2016.^[2]

Results

Home \ Away	BAT	DIR	ETT	FEI	HAZ	JEL	MOJ	NAH	NOJ	ORO	RIY	SHO	TAI	WAT	DAM	OHD
Al-Batin		3–1	1–1	1–0	3–1	2–3	1–0	3–2	0–0	2–1	5–0	2–0	2–2	2–1	0–0	0–1
Al-Diriyah	0–4		0–3	0–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–1	0–2	1–2	2–1	0–1	1–4	0–0	1–1	1–1
Al-Ettifaq	1–1	3–1		1–1	3–0	0–0	0–0	4–2	1–0	0–1	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	3–0	0–1
Al-Feiha	1–3	1–0	1–1		2–1	0–0	0–0	1–2	3–1	2–4	4–2	1–1	1–0	1–0	1–2	1–0
Al-Hazem	0–0	1–0	2–2	1–2		1–1	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	0–1	1–0	0–1	1–0
Al-Jeel	2–2	4–3	0–2	1–1	1–0		2–2	2–1	3–1	3–2	1–0	0–2	5–1	2–2	0–2	0–0
Al-Mojzel	0–2	2–2	2–0	2–1	1–1	3–2		2–1	3–2	1–2	4–3	0–0	2–1	2–1	1–0	2–2
Al-Nahda	2–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	1–2	1–1	0–3		1–1	2–1	2–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–1	1–2
Al-Nojoom	0–0	4–1	0–0	1–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2		1–0	2–1	2–0	0–3	0–1	2–0	2–4
Al-Orobah	3–1	2–0	0–1	4–1	4–1	2–0	2–2	1–0	2–1		1–1	1–1	1–2	1–2	0–1	2–0
Al-Riyadh	3–1	2–1	0–0	1–1	0–2	0–1	0–1	3–0	1–1	0–0		2–3	3–0	1–1	1–1	1–1
Al-Shoulla	1–0	1–1	1–4	2–0	3–2	2–1	0–0	0–1	2–0	2–4	1–0		0–1	1–1	1–2	2–0
Al-Tai	1–2	1–0	2–0	3–0	2–4	1–2	0–1	0–0	2–1	1–1	0–1	1–3		1–1	0–1	2–0
Al-Watani	2–1	0–1	1–2	0–0	1–0	4–2	0–2	0–0	1–1	0–1	0–0	1–1	0–0		1–0	2–2
Damac	1–2	3–0	0–2	4–2	1–1	0–0	2–1	2–4	2–1	2–1	1–2	1–1	1–2	2–2		1–1
Ohod	1–2	2–1	0–2	2–2	0–1	3–1	1–1	1–0	0–0	1–1	1–0	0–0	1–1	0–2	1–1

Updated to match(es) played on 23 April 2016. Source: Goalzz.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

As of 23 April 2016

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	20
2	Abdel Fadel Suanon	Damac	17
3	Leo	Al-Mojzel	15
4	Mashari Al-Enezi	Al-Orobah	13
5	Mohammed Al-Menqash	Al-Mojzel	12
6	Sahow Metlaq	Al-Batin	11
7	Douglas	Al-Jeel	10
	Mohammed Al-Hussainan	Al-Riyadh
9	Maher Sharoma	Al-Nojoom	9

Hat-tricks

Player	For	Against	Result	Date	Ref.
Marei Al-Moqaadi	Al-Hazm	Al-Tai	4–2 (A)	28 August 2015
Leo	Al-Mojzel	Al-Nojoom	3–2 (H)	17 October 2015
Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi	Al-Orobah	Al-Feiha	4–1 (H)	27 November 2015
Mohammed Al-Khamis	Al-Feiha	Al-Nojoom	3–1 (H)	18 December 2015
Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	Al-Batin	3–2 (A)	1 January 2016
Peter Kolawole	Al-Watani	Al-Jeel	4–2 (H)	29 January 2016
Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	Al-Tai	5–1 (H)	6 February 2016
Abdel Fadel Suanon	Damac	Al-Diriyah	3–0 (H)	6 February 2016
David da Silva	Al-Orobah	Al-Feiha	4–2 (A)	2 April 2016

Clean sheets

As of 23 April 2016

Rank	Player	Club	Clean sheets
1	Ahmed Al-Kassar	Al-Ettifaq	11
2	Mazyad Freeh	Al-Batin	10
3	Emad Al-Dossari	Al-Tai	9
	Saeed Al-Harbi	Al-Shoulla
	Nawaf Al-Otaibi	Al-Mojzel
6	Abdulmunem Al-Wabari	Al-Jeel	8
7	Abdoh Besisi	Ohod	7
8	Abdulrahman Dagriri	Damac	6
	Osama Al-Hamdan	Al-Feiha/Al-Nahda
	Sultan Al-Balawi	Al-Watani