On a Saturday evening, the Algerian football club, Union of Algiers, managed to secure a goalless draw against their Moroccan visitors from Safi, a team hailing from the Marrakech region. This outcome seemed orchestrated by the officiating crew, which raised eyebrows among the local supporters.
The match took place at the renowned "5 July 1962" stadium as part of the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals. The game was managed by a trio of referees from Egypt, led by the central referee, Amin Mohamed Omar, alongside his colleagues responsible for the VAR technology.
Discontent brewed among Union of Algiers players when the referee disallowed a goal scored by midfielder Zakaria Darawi in the 51st minute after consulting the VAR. The players in red and black believed the goal was legitimate and expressed their frustration over another missed opportunity when the referee denied them a penalty in the 17th minute after forward Ahmed Khaldi was fouled inside the opponent's penalty area.
Adding to the controversy, the referee once again dismissed another goal from Union of Algiers, this time from defender Hussein Dahiri in the 77th minute, after yet another VAR consultation. This series of decisions sparked debates regarding the officiating and raised suspicions about the referee's impartiality towards the visiting team.
However, it appeared that the referee found his footing late in the match, as he sent off Safi's goalkeeper, Hamza Hamiani, in the 80th minute for an aggressive foul on player Dahiri. This decision was met with mixed reactions, highlighting the match's contentious nature.
National team coach Vladimir Petkovic was present in the VIP section, adding further significance to the event. The return leg is scheduled to take place in the city of Safi, Marrakech, on the evening of April 19, with the match to be officiated by Rwandan referee Samuel Ouyekunda.
As reported by echoroukonline.com.
