Egyptian players say the Argentina match was rigged, the FA wants an official investigation
July 8 – The Egyptian football federation complained to FIFA about the team in charge of the games that led Argentina to a 3-2 victory against the Pharoahs in the sixteenth round of the World Cup.
It was a game full of controversy as key referee decisions and VAR intervention changed the course of the game which Egypt had led 2-0, they were denied a goal from a counter attack, a clear penalty claim was rejected and collapsed in the last 15 minutes, leaving them ahead 2-0.
In a statement, the governing body of Egypt, said: “Hany Aburida, the President of the Egyptian Football Federation, filed a claim with Fifa, demanding an investigation into the French referee Francois Letexier… after the referee’s major mistakes made by the refereeing team and the double standard, which caused the Egyptian team to lose the game and leave the World Cup.
Letexier was man of the match after denying Mostafa Ziko’s goal as Egypt took a 1-0 lead after VAR intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez earlier in the build-up and the length of the pitch away from Argentina’s goal. The crime was not clear and obvious but after the review of the field, the French official rejected the purpose of the incident that he had not noticed.
Despite this setback, Ziko later scored the second goal, but Egypt lost 2-0 and ended up winning 3-2. But even when Argentina’s winner Enzo Fernandez was considered, there was controversy. Egypt believe they should have had a penalty for Alexis Mac Allister’s pull on Hamdy Fathy.
“Aburida demanded that the entire refereeing team be investigated, including video technology referees due to obvious mistakes and insisting that we do not review some of the images that we believe are in favor of the Egyptian national team, and we see in it Pharaoh’s right to get a fair goal and a penalty,” said the Egyptian statement.
It added that the president also “demands that the referees and the entire team be removed from the World Cup after investigating these mistakes and proving the crime of racism against the Egyptian national team.”
Referee disputes are not far from the World Cup. However, FIFA planted the ground for growing controversy and conspiracy theories after the world governing body undermined the integrity of the sport in its competitions following a review of Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension, a red card to allow him to play against Belgium. This decision was taken following a call to Infantino from US President Donald Trump.
After the Egyptian players and management said they were cheated. Ziko said that Argentina is being given the World Cupsaying: “The referee is unfair, God is not enough and the best mediator. He is wasting the effort of the whole nation. This trophy is given to Argentina. They win the World Cup.”
Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, who had to be held by his staff during the match, said: “Ordinary life, ordinary life is unfair, but why is there no fairness in sports? He was treated unfairly.”
Most of the world agrees.
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