Security intervenes after heated scenes between Al Hilal and Al Ittihad players and referee

The final whistle of Saturday’s Saudi Pro League meeting between Al Hilal and Al Ittihad was followed by angry confrontations between members of the visiting side and referee Khaled Al-Taris.

Al Hilal won the eighth-round fixture 3-2, moving to 21 points and extending their lead at the top of the table. Al Ittihad remained on 17 points in second place and suffered their first league defeat of the season.

However, the post-match dispute quickly overshadowed the result, with several Al Ittihad players surrounding members of the officiating team to protest about the closing moments of the match.

The incident began when Al Hilal defender Ali Lajami delayed taking a throw-in in the final seconds. Al Ittihad players believed the permitted time to restart play had been exceeded and objected to the decision.

Morocco international Youssef En-Nesyri approached the assistant referee, while other Al Ittihad players protested to the referee, Khaled Al-Taris, about the situation.

Rather than award the throw-in to Al Hilal, Al-Taris brought the match to an end. That decision intensified the reaction from Al Ittihad’s players, who moved towards the referee to question him about what had happened in the closing stages.

The confrontation escalated when Al Ittihad goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic became involved in a heated exchange with Al-Taris. The goalkeeper then appeared to attempt to confront the referee physically.

Security personnel intervened to calm the situation and escort Al-Taris from the pitch, bringing an end to the disorderly scenes.

The incident is expected to be reviewed by the relevant authorities using the referee’s report and the official match reports. Disciplinary sanctions could follow for those involved in the confrontation.

The fallout from Al Ittihad’s defeat therefore extends beyond the loss of three points, with the events after the final whistle likely to remain a focus of Saudi football in the coming days.

Footage showed Al Ittihad players continuing their objections to the referee after the conclusion of the classic fixture.