Whistle Chaos Sparks Ismaily Withdrawal in Clash Against Wadi Degla
20 February 2026
The match and the withdrawal
In the 18th round at Ismailia Stadium, Ismaily SC faced Wadi Degla in the Egyptian Premier League. A contentious decision by the match official halted play and triggered a protest from the Ismaily lineup, who briefly left the pitch.
Course of events and aftermath
Ismaily withdrew after Wadi Degla's second goal in the 62nd minute, scored by Boly, leaving the visitors 2-0 up. Coach Tariq Al-Ashri vehemently argued about a non-awarded foul in the build-up, prompting a stoppage of about 10 minutes. Players gathered at midfield while the referee and guests remained on the field awaiting a final decision. After internal talks, Ismaily returned to resume play, and the match continued until the official withdrawal was announced.
The episode recalled a recent incident involving Modern Sport versus Electricity of Ismailia, where a late penalty was awarded to the visitors, and the hosts attempted to resume play, with a missed penalty by Ali Suleiman.
These frequent refereeing tensions underscore calls for improved officiating and wider use of video technology to safeguard the competition's integrity.
Punchlines: If the whistle had WiFi, the connection would be stronger than that call. And remember, in football as in life, sometimes the best strategy is to pause, look around, and pretend you misheard the referee.
