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Egypt Alleges Referee Cheating: Football matches often witness a mix of excitement and controversy. The Round of 16 clash in Atlanta between defending champions Argentina and Egypt was no exception. While Argentina staged a spirited comeback to win the match, the referee's decisions sparked a major controversy afterward.
Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan, forward Zizo, and fans have leveled serious allegations against the referee, Lionel Messi, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Let us delve into the details of this controversy.
Egypt vs Argentina Match Highlights: Argentina's Epic Comeback
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For the first 78 minutes of the match, Egypt kept Argentina firmly on the back foot.
- Egypt's Brilliant Start: Yasser Ibrahim scored the opening goal, and Mostafa Zizo extended the lead to 2-0 in the second half.
- Messi's Miss and the Goalkeeper's Heroics: Argentina was awarded a penalty in the first half, but Lionel Messi failed to convert it; Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir made brilliant saves.
- Argentina's Sensational Comeback: Cristian Romero scored in the 79th minute, igniting hopes of a comeback. Messi then netted the equalizer in the 83rd minute, and Enzo Fernández scored the winning goal in stoppage time, propelling Argentina to the quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory.
Controversial Referee Decisions: Why is Egypt Angry at VAR?
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Although Argentina won the match, Egypt believes they were treated unfairly on the pitch.
Egypt's grievances stem primarily from these three major decisions:- Zico's goal disallowed: Mostafa Zico scored a brilliant goal, but VAR (Video Assistant Referee) disallowed it due to an alleged foul on Lisandro Martinez during the build-up.
- Mohamed Salah's penalty appeal rejected: Mohamed Salah was allegedly fouled inside the box. Egypt strongly appealed for a penalty, but the referee ignored the claim and allowed play to continue.
- Incident preceding Argentina's third goal: Egypt's most serious allegation is that Alexis Mac Allister pulled the jersey of Egypt's Hamdy Fathy just before Argentina's third (winning) goal. The entire team, including Mohamed Salah, appealed to the referee, but he neither heeded their pleas nor consulted VAR.
The Egyptian camp was so incensed by these decisions that the staff on the bench protested vehemently. Consequently, a member of the coaching staff was shown a red card, while the coach and several players received yellow cards.
Egypt Coach Hossam Hassan Slams Referee
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Egypt's coach, Hossam Hassan, vented his anger during the post-match press conference. He directly questioned the standard and fairness of the officiating.
"I wouldn't call this mere bad luck. We were cheated today. We were treated unfairly. We received neither respect nor fair play."=Hossam Hassan (Coach, Egypt)
He further added, "We were denied a clear penalty. Our second goal was disallowed. VAR didn't even review another penalty appeal of ours, even though everyone saw our player's jersey being pulled."
Hossam Hassan Announces World Cup Boycott
In frustration and anger, Coach Hassan went so far as to say that he would not watch a single remaining match of this World Cup. He said, "I will not watch the rest of the matches in this World Cup. This is my way of registering a protest."
What do you think? Do VAR and refereeing decisions on the field favor big teams, or is it simply part of the game? Do share your opinion in the comments!
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