During the match, Al-Fateh accidentally caused one of the Japanese players to fall in the last minutes, before stopping the game and going to him to check on him, in a scene that seemed like an apology from the referee to the player.
This is not the first time that Al-Fateh has appeared in similar situations during the World Cup. In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he officiated 3 matches, including two group stage matches and a quarter-final match between Japan and Croatia. He was also appointed fourth referee in the final of France and Argentina.
One of the most prominent moments associated with him in that edition was the expulsion of Cameroon striker Vincent Abu Bakr during the match between Brazil and Cameroon, after he scored the winning goal in stoppage time and celebrated by taking off his shirt, receiving the second yellow card.
What was striking at the time was that Al-Fateh flashed the card with a smile that appeared to be an apology to the Cameroonian player before leaving the field.
He also appeared in the match between Portugal and Ghana as if he was apologizing to Cristiano Ronaldo, after his goal was canceled due to a mistake he committed, in a shot that angered the Portuguese star.
Thus, Ismail Al-Fath continues to appear in scenes that are not devoid of humor, in addition to managing prominent matches in the World Cup.
