Garuda

Saudi Arabia Wins Amidst Controversy: Player‌ Sent Off for⁤ Verbal Exchange with Referee

RIYADH, SAUDI ⁣ARABIA – A Saudi Arabian player was shown a red card during Thursday’s 3-2 victory over Indonesia in Group B of the Asian Games, sparking immediate backlash‍ and debate over the decision. Midfielder Kanno was dismissed late in the‌ second half following a direct ‍exchange with⁢ Kuwaiti referee ​Ali, reportedly for telling⁢ the ​official “You’re crazy.”

The incident ⁢occurred shortly after Indonesia narrowed the⁤ score ⁢to 3-2 with a second penalty conversion ⁢by Kevin Diks in the ‌88th minute. Despite⁤ playing a man down, Saudi ⁤Arabia held on for the win,‍ securing three points and the top spot in Group B. The dismissal⁤ has ignited criticism from saudi Arabian‍ football figures,‌ raising ⁢questions‍ about the threshold for disciplinary ⁤action in high-stakes international ⁤competition ⁣and potentially ⁢impacting‍ the team’s campaign as they advance to their next match.

Former Saudi national team⁣ star yasser Al-Qahtani voiced his‍ disapproval, stating, “The Kuwaiti referee led ⁣the match well, but‍ it was​ too much to give Kanno a red card. He should be calmer in ⁣a⁢ match like this.” The sentiment reflects growing frustration with refereeing decisions in the tournament.

However, Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard adopted a⁢ more cautious approach. In a post-match press conference, Renard ​declined to directly ‍criticize the⁤ referee’s judgment. “As coaches,we can ⁤get frustrated with officials [wasit] ‍ but I don’t want to comment on the referee’s decision as it might‍ very well be misinterpreted. We just want to focus on the next match,” he said.

The ​match itself saw a dynamic start, ⁢with Indonesia taking an early lead through a‍ penalty kick in‌ the 11th minute. Saudi Arabia responded quickly, equalizing six minutes later with a goal from Saleh Al-Shamat and then taking the lead in⁤ the 36th minute via a penalty converted by Feras Al-Buraikan. Al-Buraikan added another ⁤goal in the second half before Diks’ late penalty.

Saudi Arabia will aim ​to continue​ their winning streak in their next‌ fixture, while ‌Indonesia faces a challenging match⁤ against​ Iraq on Sunday. the outcome‌ of these games ‍will be⁤ crucial in determining qualification for‍ the next⁣ stage ​of the tournament.