Egyptian referee Mahmoud Wafa has found himself at the centre of renewed controversy after awarding a penalty during the African Under-17 Nations Championship in Morocco in circumstances similar to an incident that previously angered Al Ahly SC supporters.
The latest decision has reignited debate surrounding a contentious Egyptian Premier League match between Al Ahly and Ceramica Cleopatra FC, in which Wafa refused to award a late penalty despite being asked to review the incident using the Video Assistant Referee system.
That earlier decision proved significant in the context of the league title race and continental qualification battle.
Al Ahly dropped two points in the match after Wafa declined to award a stoppage-time penalty when a cross struck the hand of Ceramica Cleopatra right-back Ahmed Hani.
The incident remained a major talking point among supporters of the Cairo club, particularly after Zamalek SC officially secured the Egyptian League title.
The controversy resurfaced during the African Under-17 Nations Championship in Morocco, where Wafa was appointed referee for the group-stage meeting between Ghana national under-17 football team and South Africa national under-17 football team.
The match ended in a 3-1 victory for Ghana’s Black Stars over South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
During the game, another disputed handball incident occurred after the ball struck the arm of a South African defender in what many observers viewed as a situation similar to the Al Ahly versus Ceramica Cleopatra incident.
The moment immediately drew attention from commentators and viewers familiar with the Egyptian league controversy.
According to the article, the match commentator referenced the earlier Al Ahly incident even before Wafa delivered his final ruling after consulting VAR technology.
However, in contrast to his decision in the Egyptian league fixture, Wafa awarded a penalty to Ghana.
The decision quickly sparked renewed frustration among Al Ahly supporters, many of whom interpreted the call as inconsistent with the earlier ruling that affected their club.
For sections of the Al Ahly fanbase, the memory of the Ceramica match remains painful because the dropped points ultimately had major consequences for the team’s final league position.
Al Ahly ended the Egyptian Premier League season in third place, missing out on qualification for next season’s CAF Champions League.
Instead, the club will participate in the CAF Confederation Cup, a development that many supporters believe could have been avoided had the penalty been awarded in the original league encounter.
The renewed debate surrounding Wafa’s decisions has once again highlighted the intense scrutiny faced by referees in Egyptian football, particularly in matches carrying major title and continental qualification implications.
While no official statement has been issued regarding the differing decisions, the incident in Morocco has ensured that controversy over the Al Ahly versus Ceramica Cleopatra match continues to dominate discussion among Egyptian football supporters even after the conclusion of the domestic season.
