Al Hilal penalty decision against Al Faisaly confirmed as correct by refereeing analyst

Al Hilal’s second penalty in their Roshn Saudi League opener against Al Faisaly was correctly awarded, according to refereeing expert Saad Al Kathiri.

The incident occurred during Friday’s meeting between the two sides in the first round of the competition, when Al Hilal were awarded a spot-kick after Crysencio Summerville went to ground inside Al Faisaly’s penalty area.

The Dutch forward was challenged by an Al Faisaly defender, prompting the referee to point directly to the penalty spot. The decision immediately attracted debate, with some questioning whether the contact was sufficient to justify a penalty.

However, Al Kathiri, a refereeing expert and analyst for Al Jazeera Saudi, said the match official had made the right call and that there was no reason for the decision to be overturned.

“​​Awarding a penalty to Al Hilal’s forward in the 27th minute was the correct decision by the referee after a clear foul by Al Faisaly’s defender inside the penalty area,” Al Kathiri said.

His assessment settled the argument surrounding the incident, confirming that the contact on Summerville was considered a clear infringement inside the box.

Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves took responsibility for the resulting penalty and converted it with confidence, sending the ball into the Al Faisaly net to give Al Hilal an important goal in the match.

The spot-kick was the second penalty awarded to Al Hilal during the game. Their opening goal had also come from 12 yards, with France striker Karim Benzema applying a composed finish to beat the Al Faisaly goalkeeper.

The two penalty decisions became a major talking point during the contest, particularly the second one involving Summerville. The review of the incident by a specialist in refereeing was therefore closely followed after doubts emerged over whether the referee’s initial decision should stand.

Al Kathiri’s conclusion was that the referee had correctly identified the challenge and that the award was fully justified.

The match was part of the opening round of the Roshn Saudi League, with Al Hilal and Al Faisaly beginning their campaigns in Friday’s fixture. The decision involving Summerville came as Al Hilal sought to make the most of their opportunities from set-piece situations.

The match also prompted interest in developments involving other Saudi clubs. In a related comment, Merih Demiral addressed concerns about the departure of Matthias Jaissle from Al Ahli, saying: “Don’t worry and wait for Al Ahli.”

Tickets for Roshn Saudi League matches are also available for supporters to purchase.