“These people have no humanity!”: Pakhtakor issue furious statement after disallowed goal

In the final match of Matchday 18 of the Uzbekistan Super League, Pakhtakor hosted Surkhon and drew 0:0, dropping valuable points. The most dramatic and controversial moment came in the 90+3rd minute: Hojimat Erkinov’s goal was overturned by referee Jasur Mukhtorov after a lengthy VAR review.

Unprecedented protest from the club’s press service

The referees’ decision sparked fierce anger among Pakhtakor’s players and coaching staff. Through its official information page, the club launched harsh and scathing criticism at the match officials and the leadership of O‘zFHM.

Details of the Pakhtakor–Surkhon match and the refereeing controversy

A furious statement published on Pakhtakor’s official page

Following the referees’ decision, the Tashkent club officially issued the following statement:

“90+4' What is the referee hearing, what?!

THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO HUMANITY!

What can you expect from a referee who returned after being banned for five years?

Uzbek football needs new blood! The match is over.

To hell with your drawn line! Please clean up Uzbek football, respected Bahodir Qurbonov!

O‘zFHM and O‘FA — where is the offside here? Have you no shame!

Is Jasur Mukhtorov an eagle-eyed referee? Can you see VAR from 30 metres away, Mr Saidqosimov? Are you setting up a council with the VAR officials to justify this?

Mr Abduvohidov, which camera did you find the fault with?

Jasur Mukhtorov was banned from football for five years for his crooked dealings, but time passed quickly and he has once again become a referee regularly appointed to Super League matches.”

What mistake did O‘zFHM acknowledge?

According to the official statement, the VAR referee made an error by deciding the incident without calling the referee to the monitor.

In other words, the controversial episode was deemed a situation that required the referee to review it personally on the monitor.

This Pakhtakor’s protest even further.

Mukhtorov’s return after suspension

For context, referee Jasur Mukhtorov, who officiated the match, had been suspended from football for an extended period because of serious errors and shortcomings in 2019. He only began returning to officiate top-flight matches from the 2026 season.

The main question now is: should the goal really have been disallowed?

Pakhtakor lost the chance to secure victory against Surkhon in the final minutes. VAR became the most widely discussed topic of the match.

Most importantly, O‘zFHM itself acknowledged that the VAR referee had made an error in the decision-making process. Therefore, Pakhtakor’s disallowed goal and the referees’ decision will remain among the most controversial incidents of Matchday 18 in the Super League.

In your opinion, was Pakhtakor’s late goal fairly disallowed, or did the refereeing team make a serious mistake?

Share your analysis and thoughts in the comments, and immediately tell fellow Uzbek football fans about the details of this heated controversy!