A late goal gave Al Hilal a 1-1 draw in the AFC Champions League semi-final first leg last night to deny visiting Al Ahli a shock win at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
Result aside, it’s this refereeing decision that got people really talking.
With the home side chasing the game against their underdog opponent, we see in the below video an attack breaking down for the home side.
With his eyes perfectly honed in on the ball, almost as if he foresaw it coming a mile away, the referee’s assistant waves for a penalty as Al Ahli player Salmin Khamis innocently picks the ball up for, what he believes, is a clear goal kick.
Cue pandemonium.
Luckily for Khamis, the resulting spot-kick was missed by Al-Hilal’s Carlos Eduardo.
Few.