South African Percy Tau’s would-be goal was denied by a controversial VAR review on his return to action for Al Ahly on Wednesday night after two months on the injury sidelines.
Tau, who has reportedly been transfer-listed alongside five other players, came on as a second-half substitute in an Egyptian Premier League game that ended goalless against Pharco FC.
The Lion of Judah had replaced Abdelmonem and made an instant impact. The Bafana Bafana star thought he had found the back of the net legitimately, only for the VAR decision to rule him off-side despite that he seemed to have been played on by a Pharco player in the 73rd minute.
The former Brighton and Hove Albion forward had combined with his former Mamelodi Sundowns team-mate Luis Miquissone in the build-up to the declined effort.
Earlier, Tau nearly scored with a header soon after his introduction but his effort went off target.
Earlier, Pharco, too, had penalty appeals rejected by a VAR review in the 37th minute when the newly-promoted side thought Al Ahly’s Ayman Ashraf had handled the ball.
The match was never short of controversy, as Pharco were reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute after their midfielder Mahmoud Emad was sent for an early shower for a reckless tackle on Mohamed Mahmoud.
“The match saw the return of Tau to action after being sidelined since June and he was a great boost to our attacking line when he entered the pitch in the second half,” Al Ahly website reports.
In the end, the two teams had to settle for a point each which tasted like defeat for the struggling Cairo giants.
The second consecutive draw puts a serious dent on the remote hope of Al Ahly catching up with runaway leaders Zamalek who are ahead by 10 points. Al Ahly have a game in hand though.
Ahead of the game, Al Ahly coach Ricardo Soares had named Tau in the playing squad amid reports that the South African star had been placed on the transfer-list alongside Ali Lofti Mostafa Shobier, Mahmoud Wahid, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mahmoud Metwaly.
It was the first time that Soares had named the former Sundowns player in his playing squad over three weeks after he recovered fully from an injury and resumed training with the main team.
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