{"id":152061,"date":"2026-07-09T04:09:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T07:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/explained-egypts-fiery-accusations-after-controversial-world-cup-defeat\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T04:09:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T07:09:01","slug":"explained-egypts-fiery-accusations-after-controversial-world-cup-defeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/en\/explained-egypts-fiery-accusations-after-controversial-world-cup-defeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Explained: Egypt\u2019s fiery accusations after controversial World Cup defeat"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n Note: This story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, <\/em>click here<\/em><\/a>.\n <\/p>\n

\n After 27 days of non-stop World Cup<\/a> action, it\u2019s time to take a break. There will be no games played today, with teams enjoying a little rest before the quarterfinals kick off from Thursday.\n <\/p>\n

\n In truth, given what we saw yesterday, I think everyone could do with a little breather. Some of my CNN Sports<\/a> colleagues were at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to watch Argentina pull off one of the most remarkable comebacks in soccer history and supervising editor Kyle Feldscher described it as some sort of divine intervention<\/a>. It didn\u2019t feel far off in sporting terms.\n <\/p>\n

\n But while most of the world was reveling in yet another Lionel Messi-inspired miracle, those supporting Egypt were left heartbroken and, more pertinently, furious.\n <\/p>\n

\n We\u2019ll start today\u2019s newsletter there.\n <\/p>\n

\n The Main Thing: Rage of the Pharaohs
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\n Given the news swirling around FIFA and Trump\u2019s red card intervention<\/a>, the last thing the governing body needed was accusations of favoritism and some sort of match fixing.\n <\/p>\n

\n And yet, after Egypt threw away its 2-0 lead against Argentina in the last 16 yesterday, that\u2019s exactly where many of its players and coaches directed their focus.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cUnfair\u201d is how Egypt\u2019s coach Hossam Hassan labeled it. So, let\u2019s break down why he and many others were so upset.\n <\/p>\n

\n The match had started so well for the Egyptians who went 1-0 up in the 15th minute. They then thought they had doubled their lead just before the hour mark\u2026 but that\u2019s where the controversy started.\n <\/p>\n

\n After celebrating the breakaway goal, Egypt\u2019s players quickly got that gut-wrenching, sinking feeling that comes with a VAR review. While the team had been reveling in its temporary 2-0 lead, the referee team had been dissecting what happened moments before the ball hit the back of the net.\n <\/p>\n

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\n Eventually, to the frustration and bewilderment of many, the referee ruled the goal out because the video assistant referee (VAR) had identified a foul on Lisandro Mart\u00ednez, which had resulted in Egypt regaining the ball for the goal. Most would agree it probably was, just about, a foul, but it didn\u2019t feel like an incident that VAR should get involved with.\n <\/p>\n

\n And yet, despite that setback, Egypt eventually scored a second through Mostafa Ziko to leave Argentina on the brink of elimination. But the defending champion scored three times in the space of 13 minutes at the end of the match, the winner coming in the third minute of stoppage time. Cue elation for the Albiceleste<\/em> and total fury for their opponent.\n <\/p>\n

\n The Egyptian bench was incandescent with rage, claiming they should have been awarded a penalty in the buildup to Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s winning goal. Less than 20 seconds before the ball hit the back of the net, Mohamed Salah had gone down in the Argentina box. Replays showed Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez nick the ball off the winger before Salah went down under contact with the Argentine. Regardless, VAR did not ask the referee to review it and that angered the Egyptians.\n <\/p>\n

\n To make matters worse, the bench was already claiming another penalty after Alexis Mac Allister looked to have slightly pulled Hamdy Fathy down moments before.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe have been treated unfairly today,\u201d Hassan told reporters after a match that ended in a flurry of cards for the Egyptian players and coaching staff who confronted the referee. \u201cWe have suffered injustice.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThere has not been respect or fair play because a penalty was ruled out,\u201d Hassan added. \u201cA second ball that should have been called as a penalty for us was not even checked by the VAR.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

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\n Hassan was livid on the touchline and was seen making a cross gesture with his arms during all the commotion, a symbol introduced by FIFA for managers to alert the referees of a racist incident. Egypt\u2019s head coach, though, didn\u2019t mention it during his post-match media duties and instead vowed to stop watching the tournament altogether.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI promise you, from the moment I go back, I\u2019m not going to continue following the matches of this FIFA World Cup,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is my internal fight, my internal objection, my own way of speaking up and standing up.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n According to BBC Sport, Egypt\u2019s soccer federation has called on FIFA to launch an investigation into the match referee and urged the governing body to kick the officiating team out of the tournament.\n <\/p>\n

\n In truth, Egypt can feel disappointed that key decisions went against them during the match but calling the tournament a \u201cfix\u201d \u2013 as Egypt\u2019s Ziko did \u2013 or arguing they lost because FIFA wanted Argentina to progress seems like a bit of a stretch.\n <\/p>\n

\n Egypt was still 2-0 up with less than 15 minutes remaining. It was them who fell apart under pressure. Match referee Fran\u00e7ois Letexier didn\u2019t score the goals against them, Argentina did.\n <\/p>\n

\n So while rightly frustrated by that disallowed goal, the Pharaohs<\/em> had every opportunity to win the match. It\u2019s no wonder they were so angry that they didn\u2019t.\n <\/p>\n

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