Zamalek lodges complaint over refereeing after Al-Ahly derby loss

Al-Ahly players celebrate after scoring against Zamalek.

CAIRO, Oct 12: Zamalek has announced plans to file an official complaint with the Egyptian Football Association against its referees committee following its  2-0 defeat to arch-rival Al-Ahly in the Cairo derby.

The club’s board, led by Hussein Labib, took the decision in protest over the officiating during the Egyptian Premier League clash, which was played at Cairo International Stadium in the sixth round.

Mohamed Hany opened the scoring for Al-Ahly in the 39th minute, before Achraf Bencharki added a second in the 80th minute to seal the victory.

In a statement, Zamalek claimed that refereeing decisions had unfairly affected the course and outcome of the match, undermining the efforts of the players and coaching staff. The club also blamed the referees committee for appointing the Slovenian officiating team.

Zamalek questioned the officials’ credentials and performance, describing them as “unknown and far below the stature of the match.” The club alleged that a series of deliberate and blatant decisions had gone against them, influencing the final result.

The statement further cited what Zamalek said were assessments by several refereeing experts that the team should have been awarded two penalties. The club also complained that several incidents in its favor were not reviewed through the video assistant referee (VAR) system, although it did not name the experts or specify the incidents.

Zamalek also accused the referees committee of yielding to pressure ahead of the league season and showing favoritism at the club’s expense.

The defeat left Zamalek on 13 points, while Al-Ahly climbed to 16 points to move to the top of the league standings.