A bright start to the FIFA Club World Cup quickly faded for Al-Hilal as they couldn't capitalize on their surprising 1-1 draw with Real Madrid, ending up with a 0-0 draw against RB Salzburg in the next match.
As a result, they are now trailing Madrid and Salzburg by two points and need to outperform the Austrians in their final game to advance.
They must be confident about fulfilling their part of the deal as they are set to play against Pachuca, who have already been eliminated, at Geodis Park.
Pachuca didn't show much in their first two matches in the tournament, but they will be eager to salvage some pride and pose a challenge for the Saudis in Nashville.
Team news
Main striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is still in the Al-Hilal medical room but is close to returning and might be on the bench.
Nasser Al-Dawsari had a minor muscle strain in the Salzburg draw but has recovered and is ready to maintain his spot on the wing.
Pachuca manager Jaime Lozano could make some adjustments with his team's fate already decided.
John Kennedy, Javier Lopez, and Carlos Sanchez are among those vying for a starting position.
The stats
Al-Hilal has remained unbeaten at the Club World Cup, although they have had two draws.
The Saudi team's only goal in the tournament came from a penalty kick.
Both of Al-Hilal's matches at the CWC have had under 2.5 goals.
Pachuca is on a winless streak of four matches, including three losses.
The Mexican team has scored only four goals in their last six games.
Al-Hilal's undefeated streak now extends to seven games, with four victories included.
Prediction
With a strong squad featuring players like Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves and the appointment of two-time Champions League runner-up Simone Inzaghi as manager before the tournament, Al-Hilal might be considered as potential underdogs for the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, they have struggled to create opportunities thus far, managing only six shots on target and scoring their lone goal from a penalty, with Mitrovic's prolonged absence affecting their attack.
While they are expected to have an easier time against a Pachuca side enduring a winless run, Inzaghi's teams are not typically known for their high-scoring style, and a low-scoring match could be in the offing in Tennessee.
Al-Hilal's first two games had under 2.5 goals, and with the Navy Blues having difficulty in front of goal and Pachuca unlikely to change that trend, another low-scoring encounter is predicted.