The Egyptian Football Association has raised concerns regarding the “fairness” of the national team’s recent 3-2 loss to Argentina in their World Cup match during the Round of 16 on Tuesday.

Egypt initially took the lead with a goal from Yasser Ibrahim early in the game. They believed they had extended their advantage in the second half when Mostafa Ziko scored following a well-executed play; however, the goal was ruled out after a review by referee François Letexier, who determined that Marwan Attia had committed a foul in the buildup to the goal.

Ziko eventually found the net again in the 67th minute, making the score 2-0, but the match turned when Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi equalized for Argentina. In the dying moments of the match, Egypt’s frustrations grew as Letexier denied a penalty appeal for a challenge by Julián Alvarez on Mohamed Salah. Shortly thereafter, Enzo Fernández scored the decisive goal for Argentina.

Following the match, Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan expressed his belief that his team had been “wronged,” asserting that the outcome was unjust and that Egypt deserved to advance due to their superior performance. The Egyptian FA voiced support for Hassan, issuing a statement that criticized the officiating during the match.

“The Egyptian Football Association cannot overlook the refereeing decisions made in the game against Argentina, as well as the inadequate use of the video assistant referee system,” the statement indicated. “Several critical incidents have raised serious concerns and prompted significant questions about the consistency and fairness of the decisions that impacted the game’s outcome.”

The statement further acknowledged that numerous football experts and analysts, both domestically and internationally, had pointed out controversial officiating moments during the match. This highlights the necessity of upholding the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in officiating, especially in a prestigious tournament like the World Cup.