Ahly striker Walid Azaro during the 0-0 draw against El-Entag El-Harby (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Egyptian champions Ahly have decided to ask the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) to appoint European referees for all their upcoming games in the Egyptian Premier League, the club announced late on Monday.
“The board, led by president Mahmoud El-Khatib, decided to direct a formal letter to the EFA requesting European referees for all their upcoming league games starting from the next match against Ittihad of Alexandria,” read a statement posted on Ahly’s official website after the board meeting.
“The letter will be the second after the first one sent by the club expressing concerns about the referee performance during the league game against El-Entag El-Harby on 2 September, to which they have not yet received a response from the EFA,” the statement added.
Ahly had a strong appeal for a penalty waved away by the referee and had a clear goal disallowed for offside in their goalless draw with El-Entag El-Harby.
On 16 September, the EFA announced it would introduce the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in domestic football after the refereeing controversy clouded recent Premier League matches.
Ahly are currently 7th on the league table after five games and after having a number of matches postponed due to their participation in the CAF Champions League. The team have collected 11 points, only six behind leaders Zamalek, who have played three more matches.
Meanwhile, the eight-time African champions Ahly will be targeting a comforting home victory against Algerian ES Setif this evening in the tournament’s semi-final first leg.
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