Refereeing expert Jehad Grisha commented on several officiating incidents in the match between Al-Ahly and ZED, which took place in the Egyptian Premier League and ended with a 2-0 victory for Al-Ahly.
When asked by Modern TV whether ZED deserved a penalty kick following an incident involving Ashraf Bencharqi, Grisha stated: "Bencharqi's hand was in its natural position."
He added: "The ball first hit his shoulder and then his hand. Ashraf's hand moved backward as he attempted to avoid contact with the ball, so allowing play to continue was correct. It was a right decision by referee Mohamed Maarouf, and there was no penalty kick."
Read | Video | Al-Ahly defeats ZED with a brace from Taher and Bencharqi in the Egyptian Premier League
Regarding the validity of Al-Ahly's second goal scored by Taher Mohamed Taher, he added: "ZED player Abdullah Bakri was facing the Al-Ahly player, and the challenge between them did not constitute a foul; it was a normal contact. Therefore, allowing play to continue was correct, and the goal stands."
He continued: "There was no offside, the lines were drawn correctly, and the second assistant referee performed very well. He is one of the distinguished officials in the Egyptian Premier League and possesses extensive experience."
Elaborating further on Taher's goal, he said: "This situation was extremely difficult. Even if this assistant referee were officiating in a global or continental tournament, he would not be blamed for this call due to its complexity."
He concluded: "The VAR official delivered an outstanding performance throughout the match overall, drawing the lines accurately. In general, the entire refereeing team presented a highly respectable performance. The officiating was smooth, and neither the referee nor his team drew unnecessary attention. They handled the two crucial moments of the match with great professionalism."
