Zamalek files an official complaint with CAF after the draw against Kaizer Chiefs! | OneFootball

It seems that things will head towards lawsuits and courts.

Zamalek files an official complaint with CAF after the draw against Kaizer Chiefs!

A dramatic, stoppage-time equalizer has led to more than just dropped points for Egyptian giants Zamalek SC, prompting an official grievance to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following their 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs.

The match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium seemed destined for a Zamalek victory, sealed by an early goal from Tunisian striker Seifeddine Jaziri just three minutes into the contest. However, in a cruel twist of fate, a late-game catastrophe unfolded. Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi fumbled a shot from Chief's Dillan Solomons into his own net, snatching a victory from the visitors' grasp and handing the South African side an unlikely reprieve.

This result leaves Kaizer Chiefs third in Group D and still searching for their first win, while Zamalek missed a crucial chance to top the group, remaining in second place behind Al Masry.

The aftermath of the match has been dominated not by the gameplay, but by the performance of the officials. Zamalek has taken the formal step of filing a complaint with CAF, citing "the way Rwandan referee Samuel Uwikunda and his assistants handled the contest" as having compromised the game's integrity.

In their official statement, the club laid out two key grievances, asserting, "Zamalek Club asserts in its complaint that the refereeing errors in this match affected the final result of the encounter."

The club detailed the specific incidents, stating, "The team deserved a penalty kick for the Angolan player Chico Banza, in addition to the cancellation of a valid goal for the Tunisian Saifeddine Jaziri without a reason that is clear to everyone who watched the match."

Beyond the disallowed goal and the denied penalty appeal, Zamalek's complaint also extended to the referee's disciplinary management, claiming, "In addition to the referee’s excessive use of yellow cards against Zamalek players throughout the match." This formal protest turns a single, frustrating result into an ongoing official dispute, with the club hoping for rectification from the continent's governing body.