Fashion Sakala continued his impressive scoring run despite ending on the losing side as Al Fahya suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Al Ittihad in a thrilling Saudi Pro League encounter on Friday evening.
The Chipolopolo Boys forward found the back of the net for the sixth time in his last seven appearances, underlining his rich vein of form in Saudi Arabia. Sakala’s goal briefly restored parity for Al-Fayha, but it was not enough to prevent defeat against one of the league’s title contenders.
Al-Fayha, known for troubling the league’s heavyweight sides, showed resilience early on but fell behind in the 35th minute when Youssef En‑Nesyri rose highest from a corner to register his first Saudi Pro League goal and hand Al-Ittihad the lead.
The visitors responded positively after the break and were rewarded in the 55th minute. Yassine Benzia delivered a teasing cross to the far post where Sakala, left unmarked, produced a composed header past Predrag Rajkovic to level the score.
With momentum swinging in Al-Fayha’s favour, Al-Ittihad regrouped and pushed forward in search of a winner. The decisive moment arrived in the 83rd minute when left-back Hassan Kadesh capitalised on a weak defensive clearance, firing home to send the home supporters into celebration.
Despite the loss, Sakala’s goal further cements his importance to Al-Fayha’s campaign. The Zambian forward has now scored eight goals this season and registered 10 goal contributions overall in the Saudi Pro League, continuing to enhance his reputation as one of the club’s key attacking threats.
Al-Fayha will take encouragement from their performance and Sakala’s form as they look ahead to their next fixture, while Al-Ittihad’s victory keeps them firmly in the hunt at the top end of the table.
