Al-Anwar angered by VAR-approved Al-Ahli goal in Kings Cup

Al-Anwar have issued an angry statement criticising the refereeing decisions in their 2-1 defeat by Al-Ahli in the last 32 of the King’s Cup, and have asked that referee Abdullah Al-Owaidan not be appointed to any of their future matches.

The Saudi club published its statement on its official account on X after controversy surrounded Al-Ahli’s opening goal, scored by Armenia international Eduard Spertsyan. Al-Anwar players and supporters protested during the incident, claiming Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez handled the ball during the build-up.

The goal was awarded after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR), but former Saudi international referee Fahad Al-Mirdasi said the decision was incorrect. He argued that the handball should have led to the goal being disallowed, despite the incident being checked by the video officials.

A post shared during the match showed Spertsyan opening the scoring for Al-Ahli with a shot into the Al-Anwar net, while confirming that the referee had awarded the goal after consulting VAR. The accompanying message asked whether there had been a handball in the move.

Al-Anwar began their statement by congratulating Al-Ahli on reaching the next round of the competition. The club also thanked its supporters for their backing throughout the match, saying it greatly valued their attendance and their support for the representatives of the محافظة حوطة بني تميم area.

However, the club said some of the refereeing decisions had directly affected both the course of the match and its final result.

Al-Anwar called on the refereeing committee not to appoint Al-Owaidan to take charge of any of the club’s future fixtures. It said the request was made in the interests of ensuring fairness and neutrality in upcoming competitions.

The club claimed the referee had made what it described as “an influential refereeing error” that altered the direction of the game. According to the statement, the VAR officials summoned Al-Owaidan to review the incident, but he maintained his original decision.

That decision, Al-Anwar said, had caused astonishment among the club’s management and observers because of its direct effect on the match.

Despite its criticism, Al-Anwar said it fully respected the refereeing system and the relevant authorities. The club added that it retained the right to object to decisions it believed had fundamentally affected the outcome of a game.

The statement also called for the best possible refereeing conditions in Al-Anwar’s future matches. The club reaffirmed its pride at taking part in the King’s Cup and wished Al-Ahli success in the rest of the competition.

Al-Ahli’s victory secured their progress from the last-32 stage, while Al-Anwar’s campaign ended with the 2-1 defeat.