English Premier League
Al Jazira question refereeing decision in AFC Champions League Elite play-off defeat by Al-Ittihad
Al Jazira were left angry after a disputed refereeing decision during their 4-1 defeat by Al-Ittihad in the AFC Champions League Elite qualifying play-off in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE side appealed for a goal when a shot appeared to have crossed the line after being saved by Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic and hitting the post. The referee rejected the claim and the incident was not reviewed because video assistant referee technology is not being used in the preliminary round of the competition.
Al-Ittihad secured their place in the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite with a convincing victory at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday. The Saudi club were three goals ahead when Al Jazira players urged the officials to award what they believed should have been their first goal.
There was no VAR available to assess whether the ball had fully crossed the line, leaving the referee’s on-field decision to stand. The decision proved particularly contentious because the incident came while Al-Ittihad held a commanding advantage, but it offered Al Jazira a possible route back into the match.
Al-Ittihad went on to add a fourth goal and remained in control despite Al Jazira scoring once with 10 minutes of normal time remaining. The result confirmed the Saudi side’s progression to the league phase.
Al-Ittihad will be the fifth Saudi club in that stage, joining Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah.
The qualification means Al-Ittihad will compete in the Asian elite competition for a second successive season. Their previous campaign ended in the quarter-finals, when they were beaten by Japanese club Machida Zelvia.
The match was played in the qualifying round used to determine the final places in the league stage, where VAR was not available. That absence meant the controversial goal-line claim could not be checked by video officials, despite the importance of the decision to the home side.
Al-Ittihad’s four-goal performance ultimately settled the contest, ensuring that the disputed moment did not prevent them from progressing. Al Jazira, meanwhile, were unable to capitalise on their late goal and were eliminated from the route into the league stage.
The result continues Al-Ittihad’s Asian campaign, while their opponents must now reflect on a match dominated by the debate over whether the ball had crossed the line.
