Jordanian refereeing expert, Ahmed Abu Khadija, settled the controversy surrounding the validity of the referee's decision in the Saudi Clasico match between Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli, regarding not awarding a penalty kick to Al-Ahli during the match that brought them together as part of the twentieth round of the Roshan Professional League on the grounds of the “Kingdom Arena”.
In exclusive statements to Al-Midan Al-Riyadi, Abu Khadija confirmed that the referee's decision was correct, saying: "The referee's decision not to award a penalty to Firas Al-Buraikan was correct; there was no foul, and the referee's decision was right." This confirmation put an end to the discussions that erupted after the incident in which Al-Ahli striker Firas Al-Buraikan fell inside Al-Hilal's penalty area, which sparked widespread protests from Al-Ahli players and their fans, who demanded a penalty kick that could have changed the course of the match.
General context and importance of the match
The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Ahli match is one of the most prominent encounters in Saudi football, known as the "Clásico" due to the intense historical rivalry between the two clubs and their massive fan bases. Both teams always enter this match with high ambitions. Al-Hilal aims to solidify its lead in the league standings and move closer to securing the title, while Al-Ahli, having made a strong comeback this season, hopes to achieve a positive result against the league leaders to compete for a top spot and secure a place in Asian competitions.
The impact of the result on the league's trajectory
The match ended in a goalless draw, a result that benefits Al-Hilal more, as they maintained their unbeaten record and extended their lead at the top of the table. On the other hand, a draw is considered an acceptable result for Al-Ahli away from home against a team of Al-Hilal's caliber, although the team had hoped for all three points to close the gap with the leading teams. Crucial refereeing decisions, such as the potential penalty incident, increase the sensitivity of these encounters, as a single decision can directly influence the outcome of the match and, consequently, the future of the league title race, which is attracting increasing global attention.
This refereeing controversy comes at a time when the spotlight is intensely on the Saudi Roshan League, with a constellation of international stars, which puts referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology under constant pressure to ensure the highest standards of accuracy and fairness in making crucial decisions that could determine the identity of the season's champion.
