ATLANTA: Egypt’s 3-2 defeat to Argentina has become one of the most discussed stories of the FIFA World Cup after a dramatic late collapse, controversial refereeing decisions and angry post-match remarks from coach Hossam Hassan.
Egypt appeared to be heading towards a historic upset in their Round of 16 match in Atlanta after taking a 2-0 lead against the defending champions. But Argentina turned the game around in the final stages, with Cristian Romero scoring in the 79th minute, Lionel Messi equalising four minutes later and Enzo Fernandez netting the winner in stoppage time.
However, the debate since the match has focused heavily on referee Francois Letexier and several key decisions that Egypt believe changed the outcome.
Egypt had a goal disallowed after a VAR review, while the team was also upset that a hard challenge inside the penalty area late in stoppage time was not reviewed. Match footage of these moments has since circulated widely on social media, fuelling debate among fans and analysts.
“We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice,” Hassan said after the match.
The Egypt coach was shown a yellow card after protesting the lack of a VAR review. One member of his staff was later sent off. By full-time, Egypt had received five yellow cards, while Argentina had none.
Hassan also criticised the noon kick-off time in Atlanta, saying such scheduling was unsuitable for players at a major tournament.
Despite the defeat, Hassan said he was proud of his players and insisted Egypt performed better than the reigning champions for long periods.
“We looked better compared to the reigning champions,” he said. “But we have not received what we deserve.”
