The Egyptian Football Association has raised concerns regarding the “What happened was unfair. Egypt deserved to qualify. We were the better team.” of the national team’s 3-2 loss to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16 match held on Tuesday.
Egypt initially took the lead with a goal from Yasser Ibrahim. They believed they had doubled their advantage in the second half when Mostafa Ziko scored following a well-crafted play, but the goal was disallowed after referee François Letexier ruled that Marwan Attia had committed a foul in the buildup.
Ziko managed to find the net again in the 67th minute, putting Egypt ahead 2-0. However, Argentina quickly responded with goals from Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi, equalizing the score. In a tense conclusion to the match, Egypt was incensed when Letexier chose not to award a penalty after Julián Alvarez’s challenge on Mohamed Salah. Shortly thereafter, Enzo Fernández netted the winning goal for Argentina.
After the match, Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan expressed his frustration, stating that his team had “The Egyptian Football Association cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions witnessed during the match against Argentina as well as the failure to make appropriate use of the video assistant referee system,” and “Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game. “A number of football experts and specialist analysts, both locally and internationally, have highlighted controversial and influential refereeing incidents during the match. This underlines the importance of maintaining the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in match officiating, particularly in a competition of the stature and significance of the World Cup.” asserting, “Egyptian football has always respected the principles of fair play, sporting integrity, and respect for the game. These same principles require that all teams compete on equal terms and receive equal treatment. What occurred during the match has understandably generated widespread frustration among our players, staff, and supporters, who expected the highest standards of officiating on football’s biggest stage. “Defending the rights and interests of the Egyptian national team is not a matter that can be ignored, minimised, or treated as secondary. It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination. Every player who wears the Egyptian shirt, and every supporter who stands behind the team, deserves fairness, respect, and equal application of the laws of the game.” The Egyptian FA has echoed Hassan’s sentiments, issuing a statement that criticized the officiating during the match.
“The Egyptian Football Association cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions witnessed during the match against Argentina as well as the failure to make appropriate use of the video assistant referee system,” the statement noted. “Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game.
Moreover, the statement continued: “Egyptian football has always respected the principles of fair play, sporting integrity, and respect for the game. These same principles require that all teams compete on equal terms and receive equal treatment. What occurred during the match has understandably generated widespread frustration among our players, staff, and supporters, who expected the highest standards of officiating on football’s biggest stage.
“Defending the rights and interests of the Egyptian national team is not a matter that can be ignored, minimised, or treated as secondary. It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination. Every player who wears the Egyptian shirt, and every supporter who stands behind the team, deserves fairness, respect, and equal application of the laws of the game.”
Despite their discontent over how the match ended, Egypt leaves the United States having achieved significant milestones, including their first World Cup victory, advancement from the group stage, and a knockout round win, marking this tournament as historic for them. Consequently, it is perhaps unsurprising that the Egyptian Football Association has decided to extend Hassan’s contract.
