On Saturday evening, Union de la Capitale faced a disappointing goalless draw against the visiting team from Safi, Morocco, a result that appeared to be orchestrated by the match officials. This encounter took place at the 5th of July 1962 Stadium as part of the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semifinals, under the watchful eye of an Egyptian officiating crew led by referee Amin Mohamed Omar.
During the match, the referee controversially disallowed a goal from Union de la Capitale's midfielder Zakaria Derawi in the 51st minute after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). This decision sparked outrage among the players in red and black, who strongly believed the goal was legitimate. Their frustration was compounded by an earlier incident in the 17th minute when the referee denied them a penalty kick after forward Ahmed Khaldi was fouled inside the box by a Safi defender.
In another twist of fate, the referee once again turned down a second potential goal for Union de la Capitale, scored by defender Hussein Dehiri in the 77th minute, once again after VAR consultation. Such repeated refusals raised eyebrows and sparked debates about the fairness of the officiating, especially in favor of the visiting team.
However, the referee eventually seemed to regain his composure, issuing a red card to Safi's goalkeeper Hamza Hamiani in the 80th minute after he committed a brutal foul on player Dehiri. The match also witnessed the presence of national team coach Vladimir Petkovic in the VIP section.
The return leg is scheduled to take place in Safi, Morocco, on April 19, under the supervision of Rwandan referee Samuel Ouyonkonda.
As reported by echoroukonline.com.
