Fashion Sakala

Fashion Sakala
Sakala with Spartak-2 Moscow in 2017
Personal information
Full name Junior Fashion Sakala[1]
Date of birth (1997-03-14) 14 March 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Chipata, Zambia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Al-Fayha
Number 10
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Nchanga Rangers
2016–2017 Zanaco
2017–2018 Spartak-2 Moscow 35 (10)
2017–2018 Spartak Moscow 0 (0)
2018–2021 KV Oostende 80 (24)
2021–2023 Rangers 59 (21)
2023– Al-Fayha 42 (23)
International career‡
2017 Zambia U20 10 (7)
2019 Zambia U23 1 (0)
2017– Zambia 32 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:34, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:56, 23 February 2024 (UTC)

Junior Fashion Sakala (born 14 March 1997) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi Pro League club Al-Fayha and the Zambia national team.

Sakala played for Zambian clubs Nchanga Rangers and Zanaco, winning the Zambia Super League in 2016 with the latter. He signed for Spartak Moscow in February 2017. Sakala made no first-team appearances for the club, instead appearing for Spartak-2 Moscow in the second tier of Russian football. He joined Belgian club KV Oostende in July 2018, where he scored 31 goals in 102 appearances over three seasons. He joined Rangers on a free transfer in 2021, where he won the Scottish Cup and scored 24 goals in 91 appearances.

Sakala was a member of the Zambia under-20 team that won the 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations. He made his senior international debut in September 2017.

Club career

Early career

Sakala began his senior career in Zambia with Nchanga Rangers and Zanaco.[2] He helped Zanaco win the Zambia Super League in 2016.[3] In February 2017, he signed a three-year contract with Russian Premier League club FC Spartak Moscow,[4] after being invited for a trial at their training camp in Cyprus.[5] He made his debut in the Russian Football National League for FC Spartak-2 Moscow on 23 March 2017, in a game against FC Baltika Kaliningrad.[6]

On 9 July 2018, he signed a three-year contract with Belgian club KV Oostende.[7]

Rangers

On 4 May 2021, with his Oostende contract due to expire in the summer, Sakala signed a pre-contract agreement with Scottish Premiership club Rangers on a four-year deal.[8] On 31 July, he made his official debut in a 3–0 win over Livingston in the league.[9] On 31 October, he scored his first hat-trick for Rangers in a 6–1 league victory over Motherwell.[10] On 4 October 2022, Sakala made his UEFA Champions League debut as a substitute in a 2–0 away loss against Liverpool.[11]

Al-Fayha

On 8 August 2023, Sakala joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Fayha on a two-year contract.[12][13]

International career

Youth level

Sakala played youth international football for Zambia at under-20 and under-23 levels.[14] He featured for the Zambia under-20 team that won the 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations,[15] scoring three goals at the tournament.[16] He also played for the under-20 team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring four goals in the tournament.[17] He scored seven goals in ten appearances in total at under-20 level.[14] Sakala played one game for the Zambia under-23 team,[14] against Nigeria at the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.[18]

Senior level

Sakala made his debut for the senior Zambia national team on 2 September 2017, in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Algeria, and was sent off for two bookings in the 56th minute.[19][20]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 29 October 2024[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Spartak-2 Moscow 2016–17 Russian Football National League 4 0 — — — — 4 0
2017–18 Russian Football National League 31 10 — — — — 31 10
Total 35 10 — — — — 35 10
KV Oostende 2018–19 Belgian Pro League 24 3 5 1 — — 9[c] 2 38 6
2019–20 Belgian Pro League 28 8 2 1 — — — 30 9
2020–21 Belgian Pro League 28 13 1 0 — — 5[c] 3 34 16
Total 80 24 8 2 — — 14 5 102 31
Rangers 2021–22 Scottish Premiership 30 9 5 3 2 0 13[d] 0 — 50 12
2022–23 Scottish Premiership 29 12 3 0 4 0 5[e] 0 — 41 12
Total 59 21 8 3 6 0 18 0 — 91 24
Al-Fayha 2023–24 Saudi Pro League 31 19 2 0 — 8[f] 3 — 41 22
2024–25 Saudi Pro League 8 3 2 0 — — — 10 3
Total 39 22 4 0 — 8 3 — 51 25
Career total 213 77 20 5 6 0 26 3 14 5 279 90
  1. ^ Includes Belgian Cup, Scottish Cup, King Cup
  2. ^ Includes Scottish League Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearances in Belgian Pro League European play-offs
  4. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, eleven appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. ^ Appearances in AFC Champions League

International

As of match played 24 January 2024[22]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Zambia 2017 3 0
2018 3 0
2019 3 1
2020 4 0
2021 4 5
2022 4 0
2023 7 3
2024 4 0
Total 32 9
Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sakala goal.[22]
List of international goals scored by Fashion Sakala
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 19 June 2019 Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates  Ivory Coast 1–0 1–4 Friendly
2 10 October 2021 National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia  Equatorial Guinea 1–0 1–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 13 November 2021 National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia  Mauritania 2–0 4–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 3–0
5 4–0
6 16 November 2021 Stade Hammadi Agrebi, Tunis, Tunisia  Tunisia 1–3 1–3 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 23 March 2023 Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia  Lesotho 1–1 3–1 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
8 17 October 2023 Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium, Al Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates  Uganda 2–0 3–0 Friendly
9 17 November 2023 Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia  Congo 3–2 4–2 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Zanaco

Rangers

Zambia U20

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Fashion returns from trials…looks set to spearhead Zanaco". zambianfootball.co.zm. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Zanaco to face Rwandese side in CAF Champions League". zambianfootball.co.zm. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Deal done!! Fashion to Spartak Moscow". zambianfootball.co.zm. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Fashion Sakala impressing at Spartak Moscow". zambianfootball.co.zm. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Fashion Sakala makes debut for Spartak Moscow". zambianfootball.co.zm. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  7. ^ "NIEUWE AANVALLER: FASHION JUNIOR SAKALA" (in Dutch). K.V. Oostende. 9 July 2018.
  8. ^ Sked, Joel (4 May 2021). "Rangers confirm signing of pacey Fashion Sakala on four-year deal". The Scotsman. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Aribo returns and Sakala makes Premiership debut in Rangers win over Livingston". Goal. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Motherwell 1-6 Rangers". BBC Sport. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Liverpool 2-0 Rangers". BBC Sport. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Fashion Sakala: Zambia forward joins Al-Fayha after exiting Rangers 'with heavy heart'". BBC Sport. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  13. ^ "الزامبي فاشون سكالا جونيور فيحاوي حتى 2025". alfiha.com. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  14. ^ a b c "F. Sakala's matches". besoccer.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Hosts Zambia beat Senegal to win the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Fashion Sakala U20 Africa Cup 2017 Zambia". worldfootball.net. 12 February 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Italy knock Zambia out of Under-20 World Cup". BBC Sport. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Big Blow! : Fashion Sakala ruled of the U23 AFCON tournament". zambianfootball.co.zm. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  19. ^ "2018 World Cup: Algeria beaten in Zambia as Ivory Coast win in Gabon". BBC Sport. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Kennedy Mweene encourages red-carded Fashion Sakala". africanfootball.com. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  21. ^ a b "F. Sakala". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  22. ^ a b c "Fashion Sakala". National Football Teams. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Rangers 2-0 Hearts". BBC Sport. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  24. ^ Moffat, Colin (26 February 2023). "Kyogo strikes twice as Celtic beat Rangers in final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  25. ^ "Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  26. ^ "FULLTIME – COSAFA U20: South Africa 1 Zambia 2 – Final". 16 December 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
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