Mohammed Kamal Risha says Darwin Núñez was not denied a penalty

A refereeing expert has settled the question of the penalty appeal by Darwin Núñez in Al-Diriyah’s match against Al-Nassr in the Saudi Roshn League: in his view, the contact did not warrant a penalty against the opposing side. The Uruguay forward had challenged the referee’s decision.

A few minutes before half-time, Núñez felt that Al-Nassr full-back Awad Aman had impeded him in the penalty area and appealed for a spot kick. The referee then checked the video footage before sticking with his decision and allowing play to continue. Núñez showed his surprise and said he had been pulled back.

Refereeing expert Mohammed Kamal Risha endorsed the referee’s call. He judged that the contact inside Al-Nassr’s box was not enough to merit a penalty. His conclusion was clear: “There is no penalty, and allowing play to continue was the right decision by the referee after reviewing the incident on the VAR screen.”