Suwahil penalty against Esperance Tunis sparks controversy in CAF Champions League

The decision by Congolese referee Pierre Jean Ngini to award a penalty to Al-Suwaihly against Esperance Tunis has sparked widespread controversy during the match that brought the two teams together on Sunday evening, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League for the 2026-2027 season.

The controversial moment came in the 60th minute when the referee awarded a penalty to the Libyan team, which Ayoub Ayad successfully converted into the only goal of the match, giving Al-Suwihli an important advantage ahead of the return leg.

The decision raised questions about the validity of the penalty, amidst widespread reactions to the circulated footage. Meanwhile, Esperance Tunis was unable to equalize, leaving them needing to compensate in the return leg to continue their journey in the CAF Champions League.

Al-Suwaihli benefited from playing at home and among their fans to secure the victory, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appointed Congolese referee Pierre Jean Ngini to officiate the first leg, with Moroccan referee Jalal Jaid set to lead the return match scheduled for October 24.

Suwahli has reached the second preliminary round after defeating KVZ, the Zanzibar champion, with an aggregate score of 4-0, while Esperance Tunis begins its journey in the current edition of this round directly, having been exempted by the CAF from participating in the first round.