Al-Fateh's first football team continued its strong performances and series of consecutive victories, achieving a valuable and well-deserved win over its guest Al-Shabab by two goals to nil, in the match that brought them together on Saturday evening at the "First Finance Field" stadium in Al-Ahsa, as part of the competitions of the thirteenth round of the Saudi Professional League.
Match goals and Al-Fateh's dominance
The match began at a fast pace with a clear desire from the home side to settle matters early. Al-Fateh's first dangerous chance came in the seventh minute through Cape Verdean Wesley Delgado, before "Al-Namouthaji" succeeded in opening the scoring in the 11th minute. The first goal came as a result of a brilliant individual effort from Moroccan star Mourad Batna, who exploited a defensive lapse to steal the ball and launch a run, sending in a perfect cross that found Algerian Sofiane Bendebka, who skillfully placed it into the net to the left of Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe.
While Al-Shabab were searching for a way back into the game, Al-Fateh continued to press forward and squandered several chances, most notably Abdulaziz Al-Fawaz's shot that struck the crossbar. In the dying moments of the match, specifically in the 90+5th minute, substitute Fahad Al-Zubaidi extinguished Al-Shabab's hopes by scoring the second goal after a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, capitalizing on another defensive error.
The youth are suffering from a numerical shortage
The match witnessed a dramatic turn in its second half that increased the difficulty of the task for the visitors, as the referee showed the red card to Al-Shabab player Faisal Al-Subiani after he received his second yellow card in the 47th minute. Al-Shabab's misfortunes did not stop there, as they received another painful blow with the dismissal of their teammate Ali Makki with a straight red card in the 62nd minute, leaving the team to complete the match with nine players, which made it easier for Al-Fateh to maintain and extend their lead.
The two teams' positions in the Roshan League standings
With this crucial victory, Al-Fateh raised their points tally to 14, recording their third consecutive win. This reflects the team's resurgence and their desire to distance themselves from the relegation zone and climb into a more comfortable position in the standings. Conversely, Al-Shabab's situation has become significantly more precarious, as their points total remains at 8, a position unbecoming of the Riyadh-based club's prestigious history.
Dimensions of loss and its impact on youth
This loss casts a shadow over Al-Shabab, as the team is experiencing one of its worst seasons in recent years. Remaining with only 8 points after 13 rounds has placed the coaching staff and players under immense pressure from fans and management. These negative results are particularly significant given the intense competition in the Saudi league this season, where the technical gaps are narrowing, and any further loss of points could drag the team into a relegation battle – a disastrous scenario that Al-Shabab fans are desperate to avoid at all costs.
