The match between Al-Ahli and Al-Khaleej in the seventeenth round of the Saudi Roshan League sparked widespread refereeing controversy, the events of which centered around an intervention by English striker Ivan Toni, the star of Al-Ahli Club, which many experts and analysts considered to warrant a direct red card.
In this context, prominent Egyptian refereeing expert Yasser Abdel Raouf gave an exclusive interview to Al-Midan Al-Riyadi, confirming that the referee's decision to overlook Toni's red card was incorrect. Abdel Raouf explained, "The referee's decision was wrong in the challenge between Ivan Toni and Al-Khaleej player Korbelis. Ivan Toni clearly intended to injure; his foot was raised despite the ball being on the ground, and the correct decision would have been a straight red card ." He added that such tackles pose a danger to the players' safety and must be dealt with firmly according to the Laws of the Game.
Background of the event and its impact on the match
This controversial intervention came at a crucial moment in the match played at Al-Inma Stadium. Ironically, Ivan Toni, who escaped a red card, became the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick to lead Al-Ahli to a resounding 4-1 victory. This turn of events angered Al-Khaleej, with their manager, Giorgos Donis, stating that the referee's failure to send off Toni was a major turning point that completely altered the outcome of the game, and that his team was directly harmed by this decision.
The significance of the incident in the context of the evolving Roshan League
This incident is particularly significant given the rapid development of the Saudi Professional League and its attraction of major international stars. With the increasing international following of the competition, refereeing decisions are now under intense scrutiny from critics and fans worldwide. The presence of players of Ivan Toni's caliber, who recently joined from the English Premier League, raises expectations and intensifies the scrutiny of every decision, placing additional pressure on referees to deliver error-free performances. This incident also highlights the crucial importance of the precise use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to ensure fairness between competing teams, especially in clearly dangerous situations.
In conclusion, while Al-Ahli and its fans celebrated the three points and the continuation of its good results in the league, this refereeing incident remained the talk of the sports circles, opening the door again to discussion about the level of refereeing in the Saudi League and the need for it to keep pace with the great technical and competitive development that the competition has reached.
