Red Card Controversy Roils the Riyadh Derby: Was the Keeper’s Expulsion a Bad Call?
12 January 2026
Match Context
A refereeing expert argued that Nawaf Al-Aqidi's sending-off in the Riyadh derby against rivals Al Hilal was incorrect. The match ended 3-1 to Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena on Monday, in the fifteenth round of the Roshan Pro League.
Incident Details
In the 60th minute, Nawaf Al-Aqidi was dismissed following a VAR review for alleged punching of the Portuguese Robin Neves, the Al Hilal midfielder, after Salem Al-Dosari's goal equalized from a penalty.
Khalil Jalal, the refereeing pundit for the Thamaniya Network carrying the Saudi league, said the decision wasn't correct, noting the yellow card would have sufficed.
The official acknowledged the difficulty of watching the incident, but insisted that Robin Neves did not enter the box to take the ball.
He added that the strike did not amount to over-the-top force; he respects the referee's view, but the judgment seems bigger than the moment.
Punchline 1: If VAR had a mood ring, it would switch to doubt whenever the camera focuses on a yellow card.
Punchline 2: The crowd roars and my popcorn applauds the drama while the referee checks the replay again.
