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Al Hilal v Al Ittihad - Saudi Pro LeagueGetty Images
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Video: Did Al Zaeem deserve it? Refereeing experts comment on Al Hilal's penalty against Al Sadd

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A refereeing expert has analysed the penalty awarded to Saudi club Al Hilal in their match against Qatar's Al Sadd on Tuesday, in the second round of the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite.

Ollie Watkins put Al Hilal ahead in the 40th minute. Japanese referee Yusuke Araki then pointed to the spot on 61 minutes, again in the England striker's favour.



Closing in on the Al Sadd goal from the left, the former Aston Villa man set himself to curl a shot into the far corner. Up popped Paulo Otavio to try and block it, the ball struck his hand and went out of play.



Moments later, Araki headed to the pitchside monitor, reviewed the incident and gave the penalty. Ruben Neves tucked it away in the 65th minute to double Al Hilal's lead.

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Saad Al Kathiri, refereeing analyst for the Saudi newspaper Al Jazirah, called it a "correct decision" by the Japanese official.

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The former international referee broke the incident down: "The Al Sadd defender intercepted the ball with his hand making his body bigger, (and it was) in an unnatural position, and the defender should have been given a yellow card."



Egypt's Mohamed Kamal Risha, refereeing analyst for the Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, saw it the same way: "The VAR room was right to call the referee over and award the penalty."



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Al Hilal sealed a 2-0 win in Doha. That takes them to 6 points, level with Iran's Esteghlal Tehran and the UAE's Al Ain.

Read also: Real Madrid confident of snatching Barcelona's target

journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.

 

I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.

 

Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.

 

My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019."I don't just cover stories, I find them where others aren't looking, then reshape them until they're worth reading.

with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.

 

My Story with Soccer

My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.

As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.

My Best Soccer Memories 

Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.

My All-Time Team

Buffon

Cafu - Paolo Maldini - Ramos - Roberto Carlos

Zinedine Zidane - Iniesta

Diego Maradona

Lionel Messi - Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” - Cristiano Ronaldo

My Favorite Articles:

The Ronaldo Mystery... Death in a Foreign Land!

 

Third dimension.. Barefoot... Has Messi Really Settled 

The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?


(2) Messi Chases Pelé... Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?


Third dimension: The Terrifying Test... Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years

The Fortune of Cryptocurrencies... Messi Alone Among America’s Stars

The Champions’ Disaster and Barcelona’s Betrayal... How Will 

Blockchain Technology Solve the Great Crisis?

The story of crypto levers... Is 

Laporta gambling with Barcelona’s future?


Liverpool’s secret and the Bundesliga’s passion... Technological innovation revitalizes the future of soccer!

Chaos in the land of samba... Will Ancelotti escape the vortex of pressure?

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