Despite the disastrous error, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has decided against replaying the Shabab Al-Ahli vs. Machida Zelvia match in the AFC Champions League semi-final, despite the bizarre refereeing error.
The referee disallowed Shabab Al-Ahli’s equalizing goal after consulting VAR, claiming the substitution hadn’t been fully completed before the throw-in from which the goal was scored in the final moments of the match.
According to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the Disciplinary Committee, which reviewed the complaint from Shabab Al-Ahli and the UAE Football Association, rejected the idea of a replay, despite acknowledging the significant refereeing error.
Disciplinary Committee officials believe that the decision by Australian referee Evans was a judgment error that did not warrant a replay. This has further angered Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, who have decided to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to resolve the issue.
CAS typically takes a long time to issue a final ruling in such cases, meaning the Shabab Al-Ahli vs. Machida Zelvia semi-final will proceed as scheduled.
Al-Ahli’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is based on an alleged error in the application of the rules, which necessitates a replay. However, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rejects this claim outright, deeming it a mere “judgmental error.”
It’s worth noting that Al-Ahli Saudi are the defending champions and will face Machida on Saturday at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (The Shining Jewel) in their quest for a second AFC Champions League title.
