They held it tough: Halil Umut Meler faces a big shock in Saudi Arabia.

In the semi-final of the Gulf Nations Cup, Oman faced Saudi Arabia. Oman won the match 2-1, and the events that followed the final whistle became the center of attention. The match was officiated by referee Halil Umut Meler, who was visibly upset.

Oman defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the semi-final of the Gulf Nations Cup. During the match, Halil Umut Meler blew the whistle, and initially, in the 34th minute, Rabia Al-Alawi from Oman received a red card. The match was extended significantly, and in the 90+10th minute, Abdalellah Hawsawi received a red card, leaving Saudi Arabia to finish the match with 10 players.

REACTION TO HALIL UMUT MELER

Saudi Arabia's head coach Herve Renard reacted by approaching Halil Umut Meler, who was heading to the locker room after the defeat. The French coach pointed to a spot on the field with his hand while being calmed down with difficulty.

HE HAD MADE A MARK AT THE WORLD CUP

During the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar, Argentina reached a happy ending, while Messi and his teammates suffered their only defeat against Saudi Arabia, managed by Herve Renard. At the beginning of the tournament, Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina 2-1, and Renard made headlines worldwide.