Japan’s Machida Zelvia advanced to the final of the Asian Champions League Elite by beating Shabab Al-Ahli of the United Arab Emirates 1-0 on Tuesday.
Yuki Soma's first-half goal secured a meeting with defending champion Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia on Saturday in Jeddah.
Soma struck in the 12th minute, pouncing on a weak back pass from defender Bogdan Planic to shoot past goalkeeper Hamad Al-Meqbaali.
Kauan Santos nearly equalized 10 minutes before halftime when he hit the crossbar with a powerful effort from outside the area.
In the 92nd minute, Guilherme Bala appeared to have forced extra time with a long-range strike, but the goal was disallowed after a lengthy VAR review because play restarted before Machida completed a substitution. Shabab Al Ahli cry foul over Asian Champions League semi-final defeat Shabab Al Ahli on Wednesday formally requested that their Asian Champions League semi-final against Japanese club Machida Zelvia be replayed, claiming that their late equaliser should have stood. AFP news agency, citing a club source, reported that the referee made a technical error in disallowing a 93rd-minute equaliser.
Machida Zelvia took the lead through Yuki Soma in the 12th minute and Shabab Al Ahli believed their Brazilian winger Guilherme Bala had levelled the scores as the seconds clock ticked towards the final whistle.
But Australian referee Shaun Evans disallowed the goal after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which ruled that the Emirati side had taken the throw-in that led to the goal before the Japanese team had completed a substitution.
The Shabab Al Ahli source, who asked not to be named, told AFP : "An official objection was submitted by the club before the team left the stadium.
"The objection includes a request to replay the match, and therefore it was decided to keep the team in Jeddah until a decision is made on our request."
The appeal will have to be considered rapidly ahead of Saturday's final.
The UAE Football Association has pledged its support for Shabab Al Ahli "in any step it takes to safeguard its rights" and called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to "select appropriate referee teams for the competitions it organises".
Furious Shabab Al Ahli players protested to the referee at the end of the match, and goalkeeper Hamad Al Maqbali received a red card.
Al Maqbali said: "The referee wanted us to be eliminated, and he succeeded in doing so."
Shabab Al Ahli's Portuguese head coach Paulo Sousa said: "The referee treated Shabab Al Ahli unfairly and disallowed a legitimate goal due to a serious technical error. He was the one who allowed play to resume, so why did he disallow the goal afterward?"
He added: "Everyone's level has improved at this stage of the tournament,except the refereeing."