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Egypt criticises ‘influential refereeing’ in Argentina World Cup match
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally criticised the refereeing and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions during Egypt’s 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina, claiming these affected the match outcome.
- The controversy focused on the disallowed goal by Egypt’s Mostafa Zico after a VAR review identified a foul in the buildup, as well as a denied penalty appeal late in the game before Argentina scored the winner in stoppage time.
- EFA President Hany Abo Rida reportedly submitted an official complaint against French referee Francois Letexier and his assistants, but FIFA has not yet responded to the allegations.
- Several former players and pundits, including Rob Green, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, and Jamie Carragher, publicly questioned the consistency and fairness of the VAR decisions, highlighting perceived inconsistencies compared to other leagues.
- Experts like Simon Chadwick noted that VAR, intended to reduce doubt and increase fairness, instead caused confusion and a sense of injustice during the match, underscoring the need for greater transparency in officiating decisions.
