Egypt exits World Cup amid refereeing controversy against Argentina
via Egypt Today3 min read
Egypt's FIFA World Cup campaign concluded with a 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16, sparking accusations of refereeing injustice from Egyptian officials, coaches, and football figures. Egypt led 2-0 with 11 minutes remaining before conceding three late goals. Key controversial decisions included a disallowed goal by Mostafa Zico in the 62nd minute after a VAR review for an Egyptian foul, and an unawarded penalty appeal for Hamdy Fathy just before Argentina scored their 92nd-minute winner. Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Gohar Nabil stated the team faced "clear refereeing injustice," claiming decisions consistently favored Argentina. Head coach Hossam Hassan suggested pre-match pressure from Argentina influenced French referee François Letexier and accused FIFA of failing to uphold fair play. Hassan also made a gesture towards the referee, interpreted as suggesting racial bias. The Egyptian Football Association, led by president Hany Abo Rida, filed an official complaint with FIFA, requesting an investigation into Letexier and his team for "grave refereeing mistakes" and double standards. This marked Egypt's best-ever World Cup run, reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
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