Yemen Football Association protests refereeing in Gulf Cup 27

The Yemen Football Association has filed an official protest with the Gulf Football Federation regarding refereeing decisions during the Yemen vs. Qatar match in the second round of the Gulf Cup 27. Following a 1-0 defeat to Qatar, Yemeni officials and fans have criticized the performance of Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh.

A primary point of contention was a missed penalty incident in the 86th minute involving player Nasser Mohadwah, who fell in the penalty area after contact with Qatari player Pedro Miguel. Yemeni officials noted that the referee declined to consult the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for this incident, despite using the technology earlier in the match to award a penalty to Qatar.

The formal protest includes a request to remove Makhadmeh from officiating any remaining matches in the tournament. This loss, following a previous 4-0 defeat to the United Arab Emirates, mathematically eliminates the Yemen national team from competing for a spot in the semi-finals.