Baba UmarFootball fans and pundits will likely debate this game outcome for a long time.
On Tuesday, in a dramatic last-16 clash in Atlanta, underdog Egypt took on tournament heavyweights and defending champions, Argentina.
Few could have imagined that La Albiceleste would find themselves trailing 2-0 with just 11 minutes remaining, on the brink of a shock defeat, before staging a stunning comeback to win 3-2 against The Pharaohs.
Immediately after Argentina's victory, pro-Egypt fans and experts took to social media to criticise the on-field referee and the involvement of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which uses video footage to review key decisions and prevent clear and obvious errors.
It all began when Egypt took an early lead with a Yasser Ibrahim header. Mostafa Ziko then scored what could have been their second goal against Argentina's none, However, amid wild celebrations, the referee was called to the monitor by the VAR to review a potential foul in the build-up.
Replays showed Marwan Attia pulling back Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez and standing on his foot, leading to the goal being ruled out.
Playing with confidence, Egypt ultimately doubled their lead in the 68th minute as Ziko scored his second goal of the match, which was allowed, giving Egypt 2-0 lead over La Albiceleste.
Argentina, however, secured a comeback victory with goals from Cristian Romero, captain Lionel Messi, and a stoppage-time winner from Enzo Fernandez.
Before Fernandez’s late header, Egypt appealed for a foul and a potential penalty on Mohamed Salah, citing what appeared to be foot-on-foot contact or a shirt pull by Alexis Mac Allister inside the penalty area during the attacking phase.
Referee Francois Letexier waved play on, allowing Argentina to score, with VAR choosing not to intervene or recommend an on-field review.
'Wronged by the referee'
Egypt's coach, players, and fans expressed frustration, while some experts argued that a foul should have been reviewed by VAR following an earlier controversial decision that benefitted Argentina.
Speaking after the game, Egypt's Mostafa Ziko and Mohamed Alaa, told media that, "We were wronged by the referee today, everyone saw that. After 2-0, everything went and worked against us."
Ziko, who broke down in tears, said that, "The referee is unfair, God is sufficient for me and the best disposer of affairs...The cup is directed towards Argentina."
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan strongly criticised the refereeing, claiming his team was unfairly denied a place in the World Cup.
"I do not want to put it nicely and talk about hard luck. We have been cheated unfairly today, we have suffered injustice. The cup is directed towards Argentina," he said in an combative media briefing.
"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."
He pledged not to watch any more matches of the tournament, saying, "This is my own way of speaking up."
Critics of the two incidents say it showed inconsistency, insisting VAR went far back to disallow Egypt's goal for a relatively minor foul in the build-up, but ignored or did not review a potentially clearer or more impactful foul on Salah before Argentina's winner.
"Surely, this is not within VAR's [realm] to review this," FOX Sports analyst Rob Green said on the broadcast regarding Zico's breakaway goal that would've put Egypt up, 2-0, a goal the VAR disallowed.
However, FOX Sports football officiating expert Dr Joe Machnik maintained that the foul warranted disallowing the goal.
"A foul in the attacking phase of play, which leads to a goal or possession by the team that [scores] a goal can result in the goal being disallowed and being given a free kick," Machnik argued.
However, Green disagreed, stressing that Argentina had escaped punishment.
"It's a full length of the pitch away," the former England goalkeeper insisted.
"What a let off for Argentina. That, 100 yards away, someone stepping on someone’s toe is not why VAR was brought into the game. We’ve got to a point now where we’ve reached far beyond the powers that it should have. The referee saw the tackle, decided not to give it and Egypt, with a brilliant breakaway goal, have been denied a two-goal cushion," Green said.
'Egypt have been robbed'
"Egypt's disallowed goal was completely against how this tournament has been refereed," Dale Johnson of BBC Sport noted on X.
"You can't have a light touch where you don't give fouls for minimal contact and then rule out a goal through VAR for a very minimal hold of the shirt."
Alan Shearer, the Premier League's all-time top scorer, responded to Johnson's post, writing: "Either both are fouls or neither is. But they told us they won't re-referee."
Analyst Geronimo Morgans wondered why VAR didn't review what he claimed were two clear fouls inside the Argentinian box against Egypt players before Fernandez's goal.
"Why? A foul on Martinez overturned Egypt's second goal. Why does the treatment have to be so one-sided? This is completely unfair….Egypt have been robbed," Morgans claimed.
The VAR mission creep continues, this time to Egypt's detriment, the ESPN report on the game noted, adding, "The involvement of VAR in this game will rumble on for days — and years from Egypt's perspective — because it had far too much involvement in the result."
Following the controversial thriller, Egypt exit the tournament while Argentina advance to Saturday's quarter-final in Kansas City, where they will face either Colombia or Switzerland.
