Refereeing earthquake hits Al-Karma as captain calls for foreign officials

Al-Karma's impressive run at the top of the Iraq Stars League has taken a notable turn with a continuous loss of points in the last two rounds as the team failed to taste victory after a goalless draw against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, before suffering its first defeat of the season at the hands of Al Minaa with a score of 2-1 in the eleventh round of the match held at the Al-Fayha stadium in Basra.

Digital reports indicate that this loss has left Al-Karma's tally frozen at 24 points at the top of the table from 7 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, putting their throne under serious threat as the gap has narrowed to just two points ahead of their closest pursuer, Al Naft, who sit in second place.

The match between Al Minaa revealed a charged atmosphere and significant refereeing tension, as there was a strong protest from Al-Karma captain Karrar Amer against the decisions of referee Muhannad Qasim after the latter issued a yellow card to player Halo Fayaq. Amer continued to protest and became agitated, receiving a second yellow card in turn.

Reports indicate that the pivotal moment in the match came when the referee showed a direct red card to Al-Karma's Samuel Amadi in the 29th minute, which caused the collapse of the defensive and tactical strength of the team during the second half. This allowed Al Minaa to take advantage of the numerical deficiency and finish the match in their favor with a two-goal to one victory.

The aftermath of the match highlighted Captain Karrar Amer's official post in which he addressed the relevant authorities with a stern message, saying: "We request that the referees' committee, out of humanity and mercy, appoint foreign or Arab officiating crews to manage our upcoming matches. We hope for your mercy towards us."

Sources have indicated that this state of tension has recently become a phenomenon surrounding the club, as Egyptian coach Moamen Soliman was previously sent off in a match against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya due to his repeated objections. This incident led him to receive an official penalty from the Iraqi Federation, consisting of a two-match suspension and a fine of two million Iraqi dinars, which means he will continue to miss the bench in the upcoming match against Duhok.

Reports from within the club confirm that the management is urgently seeking to gather the necessary documents and address the psychological and technical crisis, with a serious intention to finalize new contracts and deals during the upcoming winter transfer window to meet the requirements of coach Moamen Soliman and maintain their chances of competing for the title.

Al-Karma find themselves facing a real test to regain discipline and control over the nervous tensions that have negatively impacted their results and cost them valuable points. Will the management succeed in containing the crisis and correcting the course against Duhok, or will the tremors of the leaders continue?