Saudi club Al-Anwar have hit out at the refereeing in their round of 32 clash with Al-Ahli in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, a game that ended in a 2-1 win for "Al-Raqi". Their management issued an official statement voicing their dissatisfaction and demanding that referee Abdullah Al-Owaidan be kept away from any future match involving the team.
The statement, published on the club's X account, followed the controversy surrounding Al-Ahli's goal from Armenian Edward Spertsyan. The strike drew widespread objections over a handball on Brazilian Roger Ibanez during the build-up to the move.
Refereeing expert Fahd Al-Mirdasi backed the club's case, insisting the goal was not valid. He pointed out that the handball warranted disallowing it, despite the incident being reviewed through the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.
Al-Anwar opened by congratulating Al-Ahli on qualifying. They also thanked their own fans for their support throughout the match, affirming their great appreciation for the turnout and for those who stood behind the representative of Hotat Bani Tamim governorate.
Turning to the officiating, the club's management stressed that some of the decisions had a direct impact on the course of the match and its result. They demanded that the referees' committee not assign Abdullah Al-Owaidan to any future Al-Anwar fixture, in the interest of fairness and neutrality in the upcoming competitions.
The statement went on to accuse the referee of committing what the club called an "influential refereeing error" that changed the course of the match. Despite being called by the video technology room referees to review the case, he insisted on his decision, a move that stunned the club's management and observers alike.
In closing, Al-Anwar affirmed their full respect for the refereeing system and the competent authorities, while maintaining their right to object to decisions they believe had a fundamental impact on the result. They called for the best refereeing conditions in their upcoming matches, renewed their pride in taking part in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, and wished Al-Ahli success on their journey in the tournament.