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Rabat – Maghreb Fès were left furious with the refereeing during their 2–1 defeat to RS Berkane on Sunday, after a controversial late decision resulted in a penalty for the visitors and a red card for goalkeeper Salah Eddine Chihab.
The incident occurred during stoppage time, with Berkane already leading 2–1. Chihab rushed out of his goal to challenge an advancing opponent near the edge of the penalty area.
Referee Said Boujidi ruled that the goalkeeper had committed a foul, awarded Berkane a penalty and showed Chihab a second yellow card, leaving Maghreb Fès to complete the game with an outfield player in goal.
However, television replays sparked immediate debate over whether the challenge was enough to justify a penalty and whether the dismissal was excessively harsh.
A Decision That angered Maghreb Fès
From the available footage, the contact between Chihab and the Berkane player appeared highly debatable. The goalkeeper seemed to make an attempt to reach the ball, while questions were also raised about the precise location of the challenge.
For Maghreb Fès supporters, the combination of a penalty and a red card represented a double punishment that did not reflect what happened during the action.
The decision stood despite the presence of video-assistant refereeing, increasing the anger surrounding the incident.
Although the penalty did not change the final score, the dismissal could still have consequences for Maghreb Fès because Chihab may now be suspended for an important upcoming fixture.
Midfielder Hamza Afssal was forced to take the goalkeeper’s position following the dismissal and remarkably stopped Youssef Mehri’s penalty, keeping the score at 2–1.
Berkane strike early in Fès
RS Berkane made a perfect start at the Fès Sports Complex, opening the scoring through Paul Bassène after only two minutes.
Maghreb Fès responded quickly and drew level in the 14th minute. Hamza Ait Allal supplied the opportunity for Soufiane Benjdida, who scored his 18th league goal of the season.
Berkane regained the advantage in the 35th minute when Mehri converted an assist from Mounir Chouiar, sending the visitors into halftime with a 2–1 lead.
Maghreb Fès pushed forward during the second half and searched for an equalizer, but Berkane protected their advantage before the controversial scenes in stoppage time.
The defeat represented a major setback for Maghreb Fès in the battle for the leading positions.
Berkane moved above MAS and climbed into second place with 50 points, two behind leaders AS FAR. Maghreb Fès remained on 49 points but dropped to fourth, behind Raja Casablanca.
The result was therefore significant even before the late refereeing controversy. However, the disputed penalty and Chihab’s dismissal ensured that the discussion after the final whistle focused more on the referee than on the football.
A Call for an official explanation
Maghreb Fès cannot attribute the entire defeat to the stoppage-time incident, as Berkane had been leading since the 35th minute.
Nevertheless, that does not remove the need for the refereeing authorities to examine and explain the decision.
When a penalty and a dismissal are awarded from the same disputed incident, particularly during a decisive match in the closing rounds of the season, supporters and clubs deserve a clear interpretation.
For the MAS faithful, their team did not simply lose three points against a direct rival. They believe Maghreb Fès were wronged by a penalty that should not have been awarded and a red card that placed their goalkeeper and team at an unfair disadvantage.
