Ahmed Al Kaf Responds to Criticism After Bahrain-Indonesia Match
- istimewa
Jakarta, VIVA – Omani referee Ahmed Al Kaf sparked a ontroversy during the Indonesia vs Bahrain match in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
The match ended in a 2-2 draw after Al Kaf extended injury time, allowing Bahrain to score an equalizer.
Bahrain took the lead through a goal by Mohamed Marhoon, but Indonesia quickly responded with an equalizer just before halftime, courtesy of Ragnar Oratmangoen.
Indonesia then gained the advantage in the 74th minute with a goal by Rafael Struick, putting them 2-1 up.
As the match entered injury time, Al Kaf initially added six minutes, but extended play until the 90+9th minute.
Duel Timnas Bahrain vs Timnas Indonesia
- Instagram @timnas.indonesia
During this extended time, Bahrain capitalized on a final opportunity, and Mohamed Marhoon scored his second goal, leveling the match at 2-2.
This controversial goal came after the injury time had extended beyond the originally allocated three minutes.
After nearly two weeks of silence following the match, referee Al Kaf resurfaced on social media, sharing a post with words of wisdom, which attracted the attention of many Indonesians.
His post read, "Nothing is greater than my mercy. Islam and peace be with them. You live peacefully in all situations. Alhamdulillah, always and forever."
In response, Indonesians reacted strongly to his post. One user commented, "Your injustice as a referee will bear witness in the afterlife."
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