Egypt Coach Blames Refereeing in World Cup Loss to Argentina

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has fiercely criticized the officiating after his team's 2-3 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16, alleging that the result was influenced by internal and external factors. The match saw Argentina come from two goals down in the final 14 minutes to win. Hassan claimed that Argentina pressured referee François Letexier before the game and that decisions, including a disallowed Egypt goal and a penalty not awarded to Mohamed Salah, were unjust Source: Excelsior Mexico; Source: La Voz Argentina.

Controversial Decisions

Hassan pointed to several key moments:

• A goal by Egypt was disallowed after a foul in the buildup Source: La Voz Argentina.
• A penalty claim for a shirt pull on an Egyptian player was not reviewed by VAR Source: La Voz Argentina.
• He also criticized the early kickoff time, saying it showed a lack of respect for the African team Source: Excelsior Mexico.

Coach's Reaction

Hassan stated that he personally confronted Letexier after the match, saying he felt the referee was hiding something Source: La Voz Argentina. He also questioned the use of VAR, noting that a potential foul leading to Argentina's winning goal was not checked. 'We have seen neither respect nor fair play,' he said Source: La Voz Argentina.

Match Statistics