Unruly Night, Unbelievable Standings: Jaissle's Outburst Sparks a Historic AFC clash
29 septembre 2025
Verbal clash and controversial decisions
The Al-Duhail vs. Al-Ahli Jeddah showdown stirred controversy as German coach Matthias Jaissle appeared to step off the script with unusual conduct, while taking aim at the referee’s decisions.
The reigning champions, Al-Ahli, fought to a 2-2 draw away from home against Duhail in the second matchday of the AFC Champions League Elite group stage.
Al-Ahli’s lead figure rose to four points, placing them second behind fellow title contenders Al-Hilal, two points adrift; Duhail collected their first point, occupying ninth in the West Asia group.
Video circulated on social media of a heated exchange between Algeria’s Jamal Belmadi, Al-Duhail’s coach, and Jaissle after the first half. Belmadi appeared irritated by several officiating calls as he spoke to the fourth official while Jaissle walked toward the locker rooms.
Jaissle reportedly kept pace with Belmadi as the pair exchanged words, before the German coach redirected toward his team. In the post-match press conference, Jaissle explained: “Usually we don’t voice our opinions on refereeing decisions, but Mindy and Mahrez approached the touchline during the game and expressed their displeasure with the referee’s decisions.”
He added: “That is the reason behind the clash with the Duhail coach, but I have a lot of respect for him.”
Historic night and milestones
Meanwhile, Jaissle’s side voiced dissatisfaction with some officiating decisions, yet Al-Ahli achieved a historic milestone by extending their unbeaten run in the AFC Elite to the second-longest streak in the competition’s history.
Al-Ahli have now gone 20 matches without defeat in the Asian tournament era, beginning with 2021 (five matches), extended through last edition (13) and into the current campaign (two). They surpassed Osaka’s 19-match run from 2006–2009 and matched Al-Hilal’s 2006–2010 mark.
With one game remaining to potentially topple the leaders, Al-Ahli stood just one win away from breaking Al-Hilal’s record and equalling Ulsan Hyundai’s 2020–2022 run of 21 straight matches without defeat.
Questions and the road ahead
The night also highlighted the possibility that the last edition’s champions were not yet an invincible machine. Al-Ahli’s final tally of four goals across the opening rounds and two against Duhail largely came from individual moments rather than a fully cohesive system.
Fans and critics alike questioned Jaissle’s tactical balance, the team’s defensive organization, and the pace at which players transition after losing the ball, especially with a reliance on key foreign talents to create moments of magic.
As Al-Ahli marches forward, the big question remains: can this squad sustain a title challenge against Asia’s elite, or will structural issues resurface as the season progresses?
Punchline time: If patience were a player, tonight it would be offside—always a split-second late but somehow always in the spotlight. Punchline two: this clash proved that football’s most dangerous weapon isn’t a strike—it’s a post-match mic, and Jaissle just fired a precision joke that even the ref smiled at, briefly.
