A sudden technical malfunction sparked a refereeing crisis during the match between Al-Ahli and Damac in the Saudi Professional League, after the glitch led to the cancellation of an early goal that raised many questions.

Al-Ahli secured a victory over Damac with a 1-0 win, thanks to a goal scored by Ivorian Frank Kessie, in the postponed match of the tenth round of the Saudi League, held on Monday evening.

The Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiyah" revealed that the semi-automated offside technology malfunctioned inside the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room while reviewing Damac's first goal, which was scored by Mourlaye Sylla in the early minutes.

The goal was not counted due to offside, amid confirmations of a malfunction in the technical system, which prompted the refereeing team to rely on traditional technology according to the instructions in place when the modern system fails.

The Damac management requested the Football Federation to obtain the audio recordings of referee Faisal Al-Balawi and the assistant video room crew to review the details of the refereeing decision.

The Damac management issued a statement expressing their dissatisfaction with the impactful refereeing errors, asserting that their team was deprived of important points in the match against Al-Ahli.

Damac is in the sixteenth place in the Saudi League standings with 15 points, collected from two wins, nine draws, and twelve losses, which increases the pressure on the team.