Angry Al Ittihad Alexandria Blasts Refereeing After 0-2 Defeat to El Gouna
23 November 2025
Match fallout and club reaction
In a Sunday clash at the Alexandria Stadium, Al Ittihad Alexandria suffered a 0-2 defeat to El Gouna, a result that left the team anchored at the foot of the Egyptian Premier League standings. The loss extended their winless run and intensified scrutiny around squad performance and leadership as the season progresses.
Refereeing decisions under fire
The match refereeing came under sharp criticism from the Al Ittihad board, which condemned the officiating as "inconsistent and surprising" and questioned the use of video review in critical moments. Specifically, a late penalty awarded to El Gouna and a red card shown to Al Ittihad’s Karim Deeb in the 39th minute were highlighted as turning points that did not align with other incidents seen in the game. The club noted that these decisions affected the match flow and outcome, calling into question the reliability of officiating in this fixture.
Club's response and next steps
The club’s board stated that it was stunned by what it described as a pattern of questionable decisions and expressed disappointment with the overall officiating environment. They called for a thorough review of refereeing standards and VAR implementation and indicated readiness to take decisive actions to protect the club’s interests. While comments were firm, the leadership emphasized that they would not rush changes to the technical staff during the ongoing campaign.
Match details
Earlier in the evening, El Gouna secured the lead via a late penalty just before halftime, after which Adham Karim sealed the scoreline with a stoppage-time strike. Al Ittihad remained competitive but could not overturn the deficit, ending the day with eight points and sitting 20th, near the bottom of the table. El Gouna climbed to the upper-middle part of the standings with 18 points, aided by a disciplined display that stifled the hosts’ attacking moves.
The club also indicated that the upcoming break would be used to reassess and potentially strengthen the squad, with discussions about attacking reinforcements and defensive options on the table. The president reaffirmed a stance against dismissing the coaching staff at this juncture, choosing instead to focus on strategic planning during the lull in league action.
Details of the aftermath aside, the match underscored ongoing concerns about officiating quality and consistency across the league, leaving fans and pundits debating what changes, if any, will follow.
Details of the game
El Gouna’s victory came through a penalty just before the break, followed by a late goal that capped the scoring. Al Ittihad attempted to respond with substitutions, moving forward in search of a breakthrough, but the two-goal cushion proved insurmountable. The result left Al Ittihad needing a strong run to climb off the bottom, while El Gouna’s points tally offered a more comfortable position within the mid-table range.
In closing, the club’s leadership pledged to monitor developments closely, ensuring any steps taken would serve the club’s long-term competitive interests as the league schedule resumes.
Sniper joke 1: If refereeing were a sport, this league would be its own ninety-minute cliffhanger—except the cliff is the whistle. Boom, angle unseen.
Sniper joke 2: The only thing sharper than a striker’s shot this weekend was the club’s complaint template—tax-deductible for drama, likely non-compliant with common sense.
