Referee Dennis Higler Acknowledges Outrageous Blunder That Cost Ajax

Referee Dennis Higler has conceded he erred during the Eredivisie match between Ajax and AZ.

Higler issued a second yellow card to AZ defender Alexandre Penetra just two minutes after showing Ajax defender Anton Gaaei a straight red card. This decision prompted an uproar from the AZ players and coaching staff, with manager Maarten Martens and defender Wouter Goes urging the team to leave the pitch in protest.

AZ captain Jordy Clasie voiced his discontent in front of the ESPN cameras. “Unbelievable, genuinely bizarre, seriously.” Clasie remarked. “I believe he (Higler) was uncomfortable throughout the match. He appeared to struggle. If you attempted to speak to him, it seemed off-limits; perhaps he was under intense pressure.”

AZ ultimately drew 2-2 with Ajax after Ernest Poku’s goal was levelled by an equaliser from Oliver Edvardsen just two minutes later.

Clasie informed ESPN that Higler acknowledged his mistake in giving Penetra the second yellow card. “It’s bizarre. After this, he also remarked: I made a significant error. It’s really scandalous to issue a second yellow card for such incidents.”

“He could have simply waited, but that wouldn’t change anything. We feel deeply let down that it has come to this.”

No interview

Initially, Dennis Higler indicated to ESPN that he would explain his decisions on camera but later changed his mind. In a private conversation, he told ESPN journalist Cristian Willaert that he recognised his mistake, yet there was no possibility for intervention as the regulations stipulate that VAR cannot review yellow card occurrences.

Read our full match report on Ajax-AZ.