Storm of Controversy Hits Referee After Al-Nassr vs Al-Ittihad Clash
6 February 2026
Two-nil Victory Keeps Al-Nassr in the Title Race
Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad 2-0 in Round 21 of the Saudi Pro League, sealing the win with a late penalty by Sadio Mane in the 84th minute and a stoppage-time strike from Angelo Gabriel (90+6).
Standings and Key Moments
With this result, Al-Nassr rises to 49 points, narrowing the gap to leaders Al-Hilal to one point (50). Al-Ittihad remains at 34 points in seventh position.
The match also spotlighted officiating debates, with pundits noting contested decisions across the halves and surprising calls that influenced the flow of the game.
Referee Under Fire and Reactions
Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic faced sharp criticism for his decisions during the clásico, prompting lively discussion on social media about penalties, handballs, and the use of VAR.
Mohammed Al-Bukiri, writing on X, claimed: "The leniency in the first half cost Al-Ittihad a potential penalty and allowed continued rough play by some Nasser players."
Mohammed Abu Hedayah added on X: "In the second half a clear penalty for Al-Nassr was awarded without hesitation; how does that align with the earlier decision?"
Punchline 1: The whistle was louder than the crowd—apparently it has a louder voice in the VAR room.
Punchline 2: If refereeing were a movie, this one would end on a cliffhanger with two endings, and neither feels fair.
