The Egyptian Football Association has expressed doubts about the “What happened was unfair. Egypt deserved to qualify. We were the better team.” surrounding the national team’s 3-2 loss to Argentina in their World Cup last-16 match 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 second goal was disallowed. Referee François Letexier ruled that Marwan Attia had committed a foul during the play leading to the goal.
After Ziko scored again to make it 2-0 in the 67th minute, Argentina’s Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi quickly turned the tide, leveling the score to 2-2. The situation escalated further when, during injury time, Egypt was outraged as Letexier chose not to award a penalty following a challenge on Mohamed Salah by Julián Alvarez. Shortly thereafter, Enzo Fernández netted the decisive goal.
Following the match, Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan voiced 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 felt “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 backed Hassan, issuing a statement that strongly criticized the officiating of 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 indicated. “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 disappointment with the outcome, Egypt leaves the United States with a historic achievement, marking their first World Cup victory, progression from the group stage, and knockout win. Consequently, the Egyptian Football Association has approved an extension of Hossam Hassan’s contract.
