Jordanian refereeing expert Ahmed Abu Khadija settled the controversy surrounding the penalty kick that was disallowed in favor of Al-Ahli in their match against Al-Najma, confirming that the referee's decision was correct and in accordance with the laws of the game. This controversial refereeing decision occurred during the match between the two teams in the Round of 32 of the King's Cup, which was held at Prince Hathloul bin Abdul Aziz Sports City Stadium.
The overall context of the match and the refereeing situation
Al-Ahli, one of the giants of Saudi football, who made a strong comeback to the Professional League after a single season in the First Division, entered the match as overwhelming favorites for an easy victory. The team, boasting world-class stars like Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, and Allan Saint-Maximin, was facing Al-Najma, a First Division side. The King's Cup was a primary objective for Al-Ahli, as they sought to add another prestigious title to their trophy cabinet. However, the match witnessed a major upset.
The controversial incident occurred when the referee initially awarded Al-Ahli a penalty after French striker Allan Saint-Maximin went down in the box following a challenge from the Al-Najma goalkeeper. However, after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the referee reversed his decision and overturned the penalty, much to the dismay of Al-Ahli players and the fans.
Expert analysis and decision impact
In an exclusive statement to Al-Midan Al-Riyadi, refereeing expert Ahmed Abu Khadija explained that the decision to cancel the penalty was 100% correct. He said, “The decision to cancel the penalty for Al-Ahli was sound. The challenge for the ball between the striker and the Al-Najma goalkeeper was legitimate, as the goalkeeper reached the ball first and played it legally without committing a foul warranting a penalty. The referee’s decision to reverse his decision after reviewing the screen was the right one.”.
This decision had a direct impact on the match result, which ended in a historic 1-0 victory for Al-Najma, eliminating Al-Ahli from the tournament in one of the biggest upsets of the season. This loss sparked a wave of criticism regarding the team's performance and once again highlighted the importance and accuracy of refereeing decisions in crucial matches, especially with the implementation of VAR technology, which aims to achieve the highest possible degree of fairness but ultimately remains subject to human judgment.
