Ex-Zamalek Star Accuses Referees of 'Favoring' Kaizer Chiefs Amid Complaint to CAF

Zamalek settled for a 1-1 draw against Kaizer Chiefs in their CAF Confederation Cup fixture on Saturday, which left the Egyptian giants dissatisfied on several occasions.

A former Zamalek player has hit out at the officiating following the Egyptian club's 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs in the CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday, claiming the referee showed "clear favors" to the South African side.

The match, held at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, saw Seifeddine Jaziri give Zamalek an early lead before a late own goal from goalkeeper Mohamed Sobaking on beIN Sports after the game, former Zamalek star Haitham Farouk expressed his frustration with key decisions that went against his old club.

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He argued that the "White Knights" were denied a clear penalty and had a legitimate goal from Seif Al-Jaziri incorrectly ruled out in the first half.

"Zamalek played well, and the referee made mistakes on two occasions," Farouk stated. "The penalty for Chico Panza and the disallowed goal by Seif Al-Jaziri were clear favors. We should have scored another goal."

Farouk also commented on the decisive error from goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi, whose mistake in the second half ultimately cost Zamalek the victory.

"Mistakes are part of football, and unfortunately, goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi cost Zamalek two points," he added. "Mohamed Sobhi is unlucky, and I hope this matter passes quickly. He is sad... as he is much better than that."

Earlier on Sunday, Zamalek have lodged a formal protest with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over officiating decisions during the game. 

Zamalek’s board accused the Rwandan refereeing team, led by Samuel Uwikunda, of making major errors that they believe directly influenced the final result, highlighting three key incidents that compromised the match’s fairness.

In addition to protesting the specific match decisions, Zamalek appealed to CAF for improved referee selection and the urgent introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology starting from the third round of the group stage. 

The club argued that the absence of VAR jeopardizes the integrity of the competition and called for CAF intervention to reduce refereeing mistakes that affect crucial matches. 

With both Zamalek and Kaizer Chiefs striving to secure vital points in a tightly contested Group D, the spotlight remains on CAF to address these officiating concerns ahead of the upcoming fixtures.