Egyptian players say Argentina game was rigged, FA demands formal investigation

The Egyptian football federation have complained to FIFA over the officiating team that led Argentina’s 3-2 win against the Pharoahs in the round of sixteen of the World Cup. 

It was a game marred by controversy as key refereeing decisions and VAR intervention changed the course of the game that Egypt had led 2-0, been denied a goal from a sweeping counter attack, had a clear penalty claim turned down and then crumbled in the last 15 minutes, giving away their 2-0 lead.

In a statement, the Egyptian governing body, said: “Hany Aburida, President of the Egyptian Football Federation, filed a complaint with Fifa, demanding an investigation into the French referee Francois Letexier… after the serious refereeing mistakes committed by the team of referees and double standards, which caused the Egypt team to lose the match and leave the World Cup.”

Letexier became the villain of the piece after he disallowed a Mostafa Ziko goal when Egypt were leading 1-0 after VAR intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez much earlier in the build-up and the full length of the pitch away from the Argentine goal. The foul was not clear and obvious but following a pitchside review, the French official disallowed the goal for the incident he had initially paid no attention to. 

Despite this setback, Ziko later scored a second, but Egypt relinquished their 2-0 lead to ultimately capitulate 3-2. But even in the buildup to Argentina’s winner from Enzo Fernandez there was controversy. Egypt believed they should have instead been awarded a penalty for a pull by Alexis Mac Allister on Hamdy Fathy.

“Aburida demanded the investigation of the entire team of referees, including the video technology referees, because of the blatant errors and insisting on not reviewing some of the footage that we believe are in favour of the Egyptian national team, and we see in it the Pharaohs’ right to a correct goal and a penalty,” said the Egyptian statement.

It added that the president had also “demanded the exclusion of the referee and the entire crew from the World Cup after investigating these mistakes and proving the crime of discrimination against the Egyptian national team.”

Refereeing controversies are never far away at a World Cup. However, FIFA seeded the ground for increased controversy and conspiracy theories after the global governing body undermined the sporting integrity of its own competitions following a review of Folarin Balogun’s one-match, red-card suspension to allow him to play against Belgium. The decision was prompted following a phone call to Infantino from US President Donald Trump.

After the Egypt’s players and management claimed they had been cheated. Ziko claimed Argentina are being handed the World Cup, saying: “The referee is unfair, God is sufficient for me and the best disposer of affairs. He’s wasting the effort of an entire nation. The cup is being given to Argentina. They win the World Cup.”

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan, who had to be held back by his staff during the game, said: “Ordinary life, normal life is unfair, but why isn’t there any fairness in sports? I’m not convinced with this outcome. I’m not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match. I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording and say ‘hard luck’ and so on and so forth. We have been treated unfairly. We have suffered injustice.”

Most of the rest of the world agrees.