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By Hoang An  April 18, 2026 | 08:22 pm PT
The AFC Champions League quarterfinal between Malaysia’s top club Johor Darul Ta'zim and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli was overshadowed by chaos after a serious injury to a JDT player triggered anger over the response from the referee and medical staff.
The incident occurred in the 37th minute of the match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on Friday night, when Al Ahli defender Ali Majrashi attempted a bicycle kick, striking JDT striker Jairo Da Silva in the face with significant force. The Brazilian forward collapsed instantly and appeared to lose consciousness, prompting a strong reaction from his teammates, with many signaling for immediate medical attention.
Referee Adham Makhadmeh sent Majrashi off for violent conduct before checking on Jairo.
However, the controversy didn't stop at the red card. The slow reaction of the medical team angered the JDT players, as Jairo lay motionless for several dozen seconds without receiving timely assistance.
In that situation, Malaysia naturalized player and JDT captain Natxo Insa ran straight to the sideline, snatched the flag from the linesman to draw attention, then rushed to the medical area, kicked over a chair, and carried the stretcher onto the field himself to rush his teammate's treatment, ESPN reported.
A video of Natxo Insa grabbing a stretcher to save his collapsed teammate.
His urgent act resulted in a yellow card for violating protocol, as medical staff are not allowed to enter the pitch without the referee's permission. But while the JDT players were shouting for medical attention, referee Makhadmeh was busy showing a red card to Majrashi.
Another JDT player, Jonathan Silva, was also given a warning for reacting strongly to the opponent after the collision of his teammate. This decision by the referee was criticized as too rigid while a player was facing the risk of serious injury.
On social media, many fans criticized the "painfully slow" response of the medical team.
Jairo was then taken to the hospital and confirmed to be in stable condition, though he remains under supervision for head and facial injuries.
The player who committed the foul, Majrashi, was also distraught. Post-match photos showed him holding his head and crying after seeing the result of his foul.
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JDT players called for a stretcher to be brought onto the field while the referee was checking on the player who committed the foul. Photo by AFC |
The match remained marred by controversy long after the medical emergency. Former international referee and analyst Saad Al-Kathiri described the officiating as a disaster, noting that both sides were affected by critical errors, according to New Straits Times.
He argued that JDT's opening goal in the 19th minute, an own goal by Majrashi, should have been disallowed for a prior foul. Meanwhile, he claimed Al Ahli's winning goal in the second half was also invalid due to an unreviewed dangerous tackle in the buildup.
Despite the 10-man disadvantage, Al Ahli secured a 2-1 victory to advance to the semifinals, with goals from Franck Kessie and Wenderson Galeno.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced it is awaiting official match reports from the match supervisor and the medical team to review the incident before reaching a conclusion.
