Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said his team were “cheated” out of a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals after Argentina delivered a dramatic late fightback to win 3-2 on Tuesday, overturning a 2-0 deficit.
Hassan brands Egypt’s exit “unfair” after Argentina comeback
Speaking in an explosive press conference, Hassan rejected the idea of describing the result as mere misfortune, insisting that Egypt had been treated unjustly by match decisions late in the contest.
“I do not want to put it nicely and talk about hard luck. We have been cheated unfairly today, we have suffered injustice,” Hassan said.
Key moments: disallowed goal, then Egypt’s lead
Hassan pointed to a turning point involving Mostafa Zico, whose goal was ruled out while Egypt were leading 1-0.
VAR intervened to identify a foul on Lisandro Martinez earlier in the move, wiping out Egypt’s advantage.
Zico then made sure Egypt remained in control by scoring again, doubling the lead and putting the Pharaohs on the verge of reaching the last eight for the first time.
Argentina respond: Romero, Messi and the late winner
Despite Egypt’s momentum, Argentina launched a comeback that swung the game into chaos.
Defending champions Argentina pulled one back when Cristian Romero reduced the arrears before Lionel Messi levelled the score.
Messi’s equaliser came after he saw a first-half penalty saved, with the strike taking his tally to eight goals in the tournament.
The controversy, however, did not end with the goals, and Hassan argued that Egypt’s frustrations were compounded during the build-up to Argentina’s deciding finish.
Penalty claims and VAR criticism prompt Hassan to step away
In the lead-up to Enzo Fernandez’s winner, Egypt believed they should have been awarded a penalty. Hassan said Alexis Mac Allister fouled Hamdy Fathy with a pull during the sequence that ended with Argentina’s third goal.
- Hassan claimed Egypt did not receive a penalty for the incident involving Alexis Mac Allister pulling Hamdy Fathy.
- He also alleged that a penalty appeal had been turned down without a VAR review.
- He further criticised another goal being disallowed, saying it was “remarkably” ruled out.
- Hassan insisted there was not even a VAR check, arguing that the team and viewers had seen the shirt being pulled back.
“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. There has not been respect or fair play,” Hassan added.
“A penalty was ruled out, was not even checked by VAR. A second goal was remarkably disallowed. There has not even been a VAR check when we have all seen the image of the (shirt) being pulled back.”
So intense was Hassan’s sense of injustice that he said he would not watch any further matches at the tournament.
“I am not going to continue following the matches of this World Cup, watching the matches of this World Cup,” he said, adding: “This is my own way of speaking up.”
