Egypt thought they were heading for a famous victory over Argentina in the World Cup last 16 on Tuesday. Yasser Ibrahim had given them an early lead, and when Mostafa Ziko slotted home at the end of a slick move in the second half, the dream of knocking out Lionel Messi’s side seemed real.
Then the video assistant referee intervened. Referee François Letexier reviewed the goal and ruled it out, adjudging Marwan Attia to have fouled Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez in the buildup. The decision stunned Egypt, but they regrouped. Ziko struck again on 67 minutes, making it 2-0.
“Egyptian FA questions fairness after VAR disallows goal and penalty denied in 3-2 World Cup loss to Argentina.”
Argentina roared back. Cristian Romero pulled one back, then Messi equalised. Deep into injury time, Egypt were incensed when Letexier waved away penalty appeals after Julián Alvarez challenged Mohamed Salah in the box. Moments later, Enzo Fernández scored the winner. Egypt were out, 3-2.
“What happened was unfair. Egypt deserved to qualify. We were the better team,” said Egypt manager Hossam Hassan, who claimed his side had “suffered injustice” and “were wronged”.
The Egyptian Football Association went further, issuing a strongly worded statement. “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,” it read. “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 association noted that “a number of football experts and specialist analysts, both locally and internationally, have highlighted controversial and influential refereeing incidents during the match”, calling for “the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in match officiating, particularly in a competition of the stature and significance of the World Cup”.
“Egyptian football has always respected the principles of fair play, sporting integrity, and respect for the game,” the statement added. “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.”
The decision to disallow Ziko’s first goal and the late penalty denial have dominated post-match discussion. For Egypt, the World Cup exit will be remembered not for their spirited display but for the controversy that accompanied it.