Saudi Professional League side Al-Hilal officials claim A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers' Asian Champions League triumph is a "black spot in the history of Asian football," which raises the need to "ensure the absence of any effect of betting agencies" in football, according to the AAP. In a "strongly worded statement released on Monday night, the club's board of directors urged" Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman Al Khalifa to "stop the blunders" and said doubts had been raised about the confederation's integrity and fairness. The dramatic upset "led to ugly scenes immediately after the match, with Al-Hilal striker Nasser Al-Shamrani appearing to headbutt and later spit on Wanderers defender Matthew Spiranovic." It seems the anger has not yet subsided, "with the club insisting it was denied six fair penalties across the two-leg final -- two in the first leg at Parramatta and four in Riyadh." Wanderers players admitted that they had enjoyed the rub of the green in the second-leg stalemate -- "particularly surrounding penalty claims, involving Ante Covic and Anthony Golec, either side of half-time and a later claim in which Brendan Santalab appeared to handle the ball in the box." All three decisions "were criticised by TV commentators, but waved away by Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura." A statement read, "Al-Hilal's management stressed that president Sheikh Salman Al Khalifa should bear the responsibility and stop the blunders that were witnessed in the two matches" (AAP, 11/4).
