Al-Kholoud achieved a resounding and historic away victory, crushing Al-Fayha 5-0 at Al-Majma'ah Sports City Stadium in the 13th round of the Saudi Professional League. This impressive win not only secured three points for Al-Kholoud but also sent a strong message to their rivals about the team's attacking prowess and their return to form.
Details of the five-goal haul and the match scenario
The match began with early pressure from the visitors, as it took only five minutes for Comorian Meziani Maoulida to open the scoring with a powerful shot that nestled into the left corner of Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera's net. Despite Al-Fayha's attempts to get back into the game through shots from Yassine Benzia and Alfa Semedo, Al-Kholoud's defense and goalkeeper Juan Cusani held firm. In the final minutes of the first half, Al-Fayha's defense crumbled, with veteran English defender Chris Smalling scoring an own goal in the 38th minute, before Argentinian Ramiro Enrique added a third goal in the 44th minute, ending the first half with Al-Kholoud comfortably leading 3-0.
In the second half, Al-Fayha's woes deepened after Alfa Semedo was sent off with a red card in the 63rd minute, a numerical disadvantage that Al-Kholoud exploited brilliantly. Just two minutes later, star player Hattan Bahebri added a fourth goal with a superb individual effort, before Maoulida completed the rout with his second goal of the match in the 84th minute after a dazzling run through the home side's defense.
The teams' positions and the impact of the result on the standings
With this resounding victory, Al-Kholoud raised their points tally to 12, equaling Al-Fayha, whose points total remained at the same number (12). This match holds particular importance in the context of the mid-table struggle and the fight to avoid relegation, as this win represents a significant morale boost for Al-Kholoud, helping them improve their position and distance themselves from the complexities of the relegation battle.
This major defeat for Al-Fayha on its home ground and in front of its fans reflects the extent of the defensive suffering the team is facing this season, especially with the presence of world-class names in the back line, which puts the technical staff under great pressure to correct the course in the upcoming rounds of the Roshan League, which is witnessing unprecedented competition this season on all levels, whether at the top or in the struggle to avoid relegation.
