The Egyptian Football Association’s Referee Committee has concluded its review of the controversial incident during the Al Ahly and Ceramica Cleopatra match, identifying the root cause of the confusion.
The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw on Friday, was marred by a significant dispute in the 83rd minute. Al Ahly was awarded a corner kick, but the ball was placed at the incorrect corner flag. Play continued from this wrong spot, leading to immediate protests from Ceramica Cleopatra players who argued the restart location was invalid.
In its official statement released on Saturday, the committee clarified that the error lies with the assistant referee. Their investigation confirmed that the ball indeed went out of play near the assistant referee’s position, making it his direct responsibility to indicate the correct corner for the restart. The committee stated he failed in this duty, leading to the mistake.
The first assistant referee has been suspended from duty as a result of the findings. The committee also confirmed that the match referee’s report accurately documented the sequence of events, including the assistant’s error and the subsequent player protests.
This decision brings a formal close to the incident, assigning clear responsibility for the procedural error that sparked the late-match controversy.
