Al Hilal v Al Ittihad ends in chaos as players confront referee

Al Hilal’s 3-2 victory over Al Ittihad in the Saudi Roshn Saudi League was followed by heated scenes involving players and referee Khalid Al Terais.

The match, played on Saturday in the eighth round of the competition, ended with several Al Ittihad players protesting angrily towards the officials after the final whistle. The confrontation escalated when goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic appeared to attempt to confront Al Terais, prompting security staff to intervene.

Al Hilal moved to 21 points and remained top of the table with the win. Al Ittihad stayed second on 17 points but suffered their first league defeat of the season.

However, the incidents after the final whistle quickly overshadowed the result.

The dispute began in the closing seconds of the match when Al Hilal defender Ali Lajami delayed taking a throw-in. Al Ittihad players objected, believing the permitted time to restart play had been exceeded.

Youssef En-Nesyri approached the assistant referee to make his protest, while other Al Ittihad players also complained to the referee. Rather than change the decision and award the throw-in to Al Hilal, Al Terais blew for full-time.

That decision led to a stronger reaction from the Al Ittihad players, who went towards the referee to question him about what had happened during the final moments. The protests took place in a tense atmosphere following their side’s defeat in the derby.

The situation became more serious when Rajkovic became involved in an argument with Al Terais. The goalkeeper then appeared to try to confront the referee before security personnel stepped in to calm matters and ensure the official could leave the pitch safely.

The events at the end of the match are expected to be reviewed by the relevant authorities using the referee’s report and the official match reports. Those involved could face disciplinary punishment after the confrontation.

The consequences of Al Ittihad’s defeat therefore extend beyond the loss of three points, with the post-match scenes likely to remain under scrutiny in Saudi football in the coming days.

Footage showing Al Ittihad players protesting against the referee after the final whistle was posted by Thmanyah Sports on 10 October 2026.