An expert referee settles the matter… Did Al-Ittihad deserve a penalty against Al-Hazm? | Goal.com

Published on 03 Apr 2026 | Reading time: 1 minute

The match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hazm, which took place on Friday evening as part of Matchday 27 of the Roshen Professional League, saw one of the most controversial moments of the season, after Algerian player Hossam Aouar went down inside the penalty area in the second half, sparking widespread debate among fans and observers, This prompted a refereeing expert to comment on the validity of the incident and analyse the referee’s decision.

Aouar went down in the 67th minute inside Al-Hazm’s penalty area, prompting the referee to award a direct free-kick, before consulting VAR and overturning the decision.

Commenting on the matter, refereeing expert Mohammed Kamal "Risha" told the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah: "Al-Najma’s Mokwana tried to challenge Aouar for the ball without committing a foul."

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He added: “The referee’s decision to reverse the penalty call was the right one, and the VAR intervention was correct.”

Al-Ittihad moved up to 45 points in sixth place in the Roshen League table, level with fifth-placed Al-Taawoun.

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