Whistle Drama in Jeddah: Al Ahli Edges Al Qadisiyah Amid Controversial Calls
21 November 2025
Match verdict and goals
Al Ahli Jeddah overcame visiting Al Qadisiyah with a 2-1 victory on Friday night, as part of the Roshn Saudi League’s ninth round.
The win lifts Al Ahli to 19 points in fourth place, two points behind Al Qadisiyah in fifth.
Goals: Wenderson Galino opened the scoring in the 6th minute and Franck Kesi added a second in the 66th. Abdullah Al Salem pulled a goal back for Al Qadisiyah in the 64th.
Starting lineups were announced with Eduard Mendy in goal for Al Ahli, and a defender line featuring Merih Demiral and Roger Ibanez among others, while Al Qadisiyah lined up with Quin Castels in goal and a back four that included Yasser Al-Shahrani.
In attack, Al Ahli relied on Riyad Mahrez, Ivan Tony, and Wenderson Galino upfront, while Al Qadisiyah counted on Christopher Bah, Matteo Ritigi, and Nahitan Nandez to trouble the hosts.
Contemporary match-day visuals showed a lively contest, with the stadium atmosphere amplifying the tension as decisions were weighed in real time.
Controversies and expert analysis
Controversial refereeing moments defined the night, including a red card for Al Ahli’s Ziad Al-Juhani after an on-ball clash with Otavio Montiero of Al Qadisiyah, and a denied penalty claim from the visitors that could have altered the result.
Commenting on the incident, Jordanian refereeing expert Ahmed Abu Khdeiga argued that Al Qadisiyah deserved a penalty in a key moment, with the scoreline showing a one-goal lead for Al Ahli before the attempted equalizer.
Abu Khdeiga also noted a potential clear penalty for Musab Al-Juair against Al Ahli, suggesting that a VAR check might have changed the decision, and he supported the red card for Al-Juhani as a disciplinary measure for conduct on the pitch.
According to Abu Khdeiga, the official’s decisions adhered to FIFA/IFAB standards, and maintaining discipline is essential to safeguarding players and upholding fairness in the field of play.
The analyst highlighted that the match pattern persisted in other meetings between the sides, pointing to a recurring storyline in this rivalry since the start of the modern era in 2008, with a rare exception in a 1-0 Al Ahli win in May 2021 when a sending-off occurred before the decisive strike.
Looking ahead and strategic implications
With the result, Al Ahli prepared for an Asian Champions League test against Sharjah in three days, before meeting Al Qadisiyah again in the King’s Cup quarter-finals at the end of November.
Manager Matthias Jaissle has faced criticism in recent weeks, yet the two consecutive league wins helped reinforce his project, and he remains focused on translating Asian success into domestic consistency to reclaim top honors in the Roshn Saudi League.
As the season progresses, the club aims to defend continental glory while challenging for the league title, and fans will be watching closely how the squad handles fixture congestion and the ongoing narrative around officiating decisions.
Punchline 1: If precision were a penalty, this game would deserve a shootout with a laser sight—and apparently the laser missed a bit here, not the striker.
Punchline 2: They say VAR is a great equalizer; apparently it’s also a great crowd-pleaser, because every whistle feels like a season finale to someone’s joke.
