Key Takeaways
- Egypt coach Hossam Hassan accused his team of being 'cheated' by Argentina in their World Cup match.
- VAR ruled out a goal for Egypt and disallowed another, while a potential penalty was not awarded to them.
- Hassan also criticized the scheduling of the match at noon on the day after both teams played.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has accused his team of being 'cheated' out of a place in the World Cup quarter-finals following their controversial exit to Argentina. Speaking after a thrilling 3-2 victory for Lionel Messi's side, Hassan expressed deep frustration with what he perceives as unfair decisions during the match.
The controversy began early when Mostafa Zico’s goal was ruled out by VAR due to a foul on Lisandro Martinez earlier in the move. This decision left Egypt trailing 1-0 and ultimately denied them a crucial lead that could have secured their place in the last eight for the first time since 1990.
Despite taking the lead through Yasser Ibrahim’s header, Argentina staged an incredible comeback to win 3-2. Cristian Romero reduced the deficit before Lionel Messi equalized with his eighth goal of the tournament. Enzo Fernández then scored the winner, but Hassan believes Egypt should have been awarded a penalty for Alexis Mac Allister's pull on Hamdy Fathy.
Hassan’s frustration extended beyond the field of play to the scheduling of the match, which was played at noon (1600 GMT) just four days after both teams had won their round of 32 matches. 'Whoever schedules those matches has never played football,' Hassan said, adding that players should not be expected to eat brunch and then play a high-stakes match.
The coach also hinted at external pressures influencing the decisions during the game. 'Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,' he told BeIn Sports. 'In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects.'
Hassan’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among coaches and players who feel the integrity of the tournament is being compromised by controversial decisions. His stance has left him questioning whether he will continue to follow the rest of the World Cup matches.
The incident highlights the ongoing debate about the role of VAR in high-stakes football, with some arguing that it can sometimes be too lenient or overly strict, while others believe it is essential for maintaining fairness and accuracy.
We have been cheated unfairly today, we have suffered injustice.
Hossam Hassan, Egypt coach
Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running.
Hossam Hassan, Egypt coach
