The tenth: Al-Ittihad extends Al-Feiha's misery from the penalty spot

When Youssef En-Nesyri placed the ball on the penalty spot in the 68th minute at Al-Inma Stadium, the air around the box froze like a poem waiting for its comma. Al-Feiha had survived waves of pressure, but a small team cannot always hold back a big one. Al-Ittihad were not the better side for the whole match, yet they found a way to finish. Football lives in the silence between two touches of the ball, where the spectator’s heart scores its own goal. That night, that silence lasted exactly as long as En-Nesyri’s run-up. The result only closes a chapter. What stays open is the story of Al-Feiha’s courage after conceding in the 43rd minute and equalizing in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time through Jason Remeseiro. This was round six of the Saudi Pro League, known as the Roshn League. Al-Ittihad arrived with 14 points, one point behind Al-Hilal and Al-Qadisiyah. Al-Feiha had five points and 11th place. Three defeats in six rounds do not trigger an alarm, but they create a pattern. The larger context is the tenth consecutive league meeting in which Al-Ittihad remain unbeaten against Al-Feiha, with seven wins and three draws. History matters, but historical streaks do not win matches. They only explain what happened before. What stands out is how Al-Ittihad scored. Both goals came from forwards: the opening goal from George Ilenikhena’s area of influence and the decisive penalty converted by En-Nesyri. On the surface that is positive. Deeper down, it reveals dependency. If their forwards do not score on a difficult day, Al-Ittihad may have to rely on set pieces or penalties. Their attacking structure does not generate a large number of clear chances through intricate passing. It relies on individual brilliance and squad depth. That can work in one match, but it is fragile over a full season. I do not have expected-goals data, passing accuracy or pressing stats from this match. I have to read the timeline. Al-Feiha’s equalizer came at 45+4, exactly when a team usually switches off before halftime. That is often a mental lapse rather than a tactical error. Al-Ittihad will face stronger opponents who punish those moments. The counterintuitive point of this match is not the scoreline. It is the way we remember the unbeaten streak. Some fans believe Al-Ittihad own Al-Feiha. In reality, squads change, coaches change, and motivation changes. One point is a small margin. Al-Hilal and Al-Qadisiyah are close, and the title race will not wait for anyone. The lesson from Al-Feiha is different. They defended until the 68th minute and produced a credible equalizer. They did not collapse. What they need is consistency, not revolution. Al-Ittihad need to realize that a 68th-minute penalty will not always arrive. In a long season, the data that matters is not distance covered, but whether each run creates danger. I remember the rain at Thong Nhat Stadium in 2026, which did not wash away the score but washed away a young writer’s fear. On a dry night at Al-Inma, the same truth appeared: supporters do not remember numbers; they remember how a team walks off the pitch and returns for the next round. Al-Ittihad are one point behind. In football, one point can be a whole horizon. The open question is whether they have the patience to hear their own heartbeat between the noise of the league table.