The Egyptian Football Association has expressed serious 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 Round of 16 of the World Cup held on Tuesday.
Egypt initially took the lead with a goal from Yasser Ibrahim, but their hopes of extending the advantage were dashed when Mostafa Ziko’s goal was ruled out following a review. Referee François Letexier determined that Marwan Attia had committed a foul in the build-up to the goal.
Ziko eventually scored again, putting Egypt ahead 2-0 in the 67th minute. However, Argentina quickly responded with goals from Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi, leveling the match at 2-2. The situation intensified in injury time when Egypt was denied a penalty after Julián Alvarez fouled Mohamed Salah. Shortly thereafter, Enzo Fernández netted the decisive goal.
Following the match, Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan claimed that his team had been “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 stated, “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.” The Egyptian FA supported Hassan’s remarks, issuing a statement that criticized the officiating throughout the match.
“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 statement declared. “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.
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, minimized, 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 the circumstances of their exit, Egypt leaves the United States with several historic achievements, including their first World Cup victory, their first advancement past the group stage, and their inaugural knockout round win. This success has led to the Egyptian Football Association extending Hassan’s contract.
