The match between Al-Nasr and Damac, which was held as part of the seventeenth round of the Saudi Professional League, witnessed a widespread refereeing controversy that angered Al-Nasr players and fans, specifically regarding the capital team’s demand for a penalty kick at a sensitive time in the match, which was held at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Al-Mahala.
In this context, Jordanian refereeing expert Ahmed Abu Khadija settled the controversy surrounding this incident in exclusive statements to "Al-Midan Al-Riyadi." Abu Khadija confirmed that the referee's decision not to award a penalty to Al-Nassr was correct and in accordance with the Laws of the Game. The expert explained the situation in detail, saying: "The referee's decision not to award a penalty to Al-Nassr against Damac was correct because the ball was played by a teammate of the defender. In such cases, there is no time or space to allow the defender to move his hand to avoid the ball, and therefore, allowing play to continue was the right decision.".
Ronaldo's objections and the context of the match
The incident caused a wave of protests on the pitch, led by the Portuguese team's captain Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammate, international winger Abdulrahman Ghareeb, who approached the referee to demand a review of the situation and the awarding of a penalty kick, believing that there was a handball that warranted punishment, which is something that often happens in major competitive matches played under high pressure.
Regarding the course of the game, Al-Nasr team succeeded in taking the lead and scoring the first goal through player Abdulrahman Ghareeb, who took advantage of a perfect and wonderful cross from his young Brazilian teammate Angelo Gabriel, and Ghareeb skillfully put it into the net, announcing his team’s superiority in the match.
The importance of refereeing in the Roshan Professional League
Refereeing decisions in the Saudi Professional League have gained increased importance in recent seasons due to the competition's rapid development and unprecedented global attention. With a host of world-class referees, every whistle is under intense scrutiny, as decisions directly impact the league standings and the fierce title race. The seventeenth round is a pivotal stage for the teams vying for the top spot, with Al-Nassr aiming to avoid dropping any points to keep pace with the league leaders and compete strongly for the league title.
Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Stadium in Abha is considered one of the difficult stadiums for visiting teams, due to the nature of the atmosphere and the strength of the Damac team when it plays on its home ground and among its fans, which increases the intensity of competition and physical clashes, and consequently increases the controversial situations that require decisive and accurate intervention from the referees and analysis experts to clarify the picture for the sports fans.
