Baron Ochieng's Zamalek Files Official Complaint to CAF After Controversial Draw Against Kaizer Chiefs

Egyptian powerhouse Zamalek has officially filed a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) against the Rwandan officiating crew.

The team was led by referee Samuel Uwikunda as they officiated their CAF Confederation Cup match against South African giants Kaizer Chiefs.

The match was played on Saturday, November 29, at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, with Zamalek drawing 1-1 against Kaizer Chiefs.

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Tunisian forward Seifeddine Jaziri opened the scoring for Zamalek early in the fourth minute, capitalising on a defensive error to put the visitors ahead.

Kaizer Chiefs secured a dramatic point in stoppage time when a late cross from Dillon Solomons was fumbled into the net by Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi for an equaliser.

The club's board of directors released a statement condemning what they termed "major officiating mistakes" that they believe "directly affected the final score."

The result leaves Zamalek in second place in Group D with four points, trailing Al Masry, while Kaizer Chiefs are third.

In their formal protest, Zamalek highlighted three specific incidents that they argue compromised the integrity of the match and cost them a crucial victory.

The Cairo-based club claims these decisions unfairly denied them opportunities and influenced the outcome of the tightly contested fixture.

Beyond the specific grievances from the match, Zamalek's complaint urged CAF to ensure "proper referee selection" for future fixtures to address what they see as persistent officiating problems in continental competitions.

The club also made a direct and urgent appeal for the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system starting from the third matchday of the group stage. Zamalek warned that the continued absence of VAR "compromises fairness" in pivotal games.

"Zamalek demands in its complaint to the CAF the need to intervene and select suitable referees to reduce the phenomenon of refereeing mistakes that significantly affect the results of many matches in the tournament," Zamalek said in a statement.

"The club also demands CAF to urgently implement the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, starting from the third round of the group stage matches in the upcoming fixtures, as the absence of video technology in the group stage matches affects the integrity of the competition.

"Furthermore, the club urges the adoption of decisions that will reform the refereeing system at the level of African tournaments, including the Confederation Cup."

Zamalek will host Al Masry in their next CAF Confederation Cup challenge, marking the start of the second half of the group stage fixtures.

Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs must travel for their next continental clash, heading to Zambia to take on Zesco United. Both clubs are looking to secure vital points against their Group D rivals after the current round of matches leaves the group finely balanced.