Saudi Arabia’s players and coaching staff were left frustrated after two penalty appeals were rejected during extra time in their Gulf Cup 27 semi-final against Qatar at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday.
The first incident came in the 104th minute, when Saudi Arabia midfielder Mohammed Al-Qahtani collected the ball on the edge of Qatar’s penalty area and struck a powerful shot.
The effort hit a Qatar defender, prompting Al-Qahtani, his team-mates and Greek manager Giorgos Donis to appeal for a penalty. They believed the ball had struck the defender’s hand inside the area.
The referee waved play on and maintained that decision after the incident was reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR). Footage of the appeal was shared on social media by Nadeena, with the incident marked as taking place in the 103rd minute.
Former referee and Al-Riyadiyah refereeing analyst Mohamed Kamal Risha said the decision was correct.
“There was no penalty for the Saudi Arabia national team in the 104th minute,” Risha told Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah. “The ball hit the Qatar defender’s abdomen, not his hand. The referee was correct to allow play to continue, with the VAR room supporting the decision.”
A second appeal followed seven minutes later.
In the 111th minute, Abdullah Al-Hamdan hit a powerful shot which struck the hand of a Qatar defender inside the penalty area. Saudi Arabia again called for a penalty, but the referee declined to award one.
The two incidents occurred as the teams contested a place in the final of Gulf Cup 27, with the match being played at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah.
The first appeal involved Al-Qahtani’s effort from the edge of the box, while the second followed Al-Hamdan’s shot inside the area. Both decisions were questioned by Saudi Arabia’s players and staff during extra time.
The Al-Qahtani incident was subsequently reviewed by VAR, but the on-field decision was upheld. Risha’s assessment, reported by Al-Riyadiyah, was that the ball had made contact with the defender’s body rather than his hand.
A video showing the later Al-Hamdan incident was also published by Nadeena on 3 October 2026, accompanied by further Saudi appeals for a penalty.
The match between Saudi Arabia and Qatar was the second semi-final of the Gulf tournament and took place on Saturday, 3 October 2026.
