Egypt Exit World Cup Despite Historic Progress

Egypt’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign came to an end on Tuesday as the Pharaohs suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to defending champions Argentina in the Round of 16, despite leading by two goals late in the game. That ended Egypt’s best-ever performance at the tournament.“Several refereeing decisions were bad and affected the result of the match,” the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said after the defeat.

The association also criticised the Video Assistant Referee (VAR )’s decision to disallow Mostafa Zico’s goal in the 62nd minute and complained about a late challenge on Mohamed Salah that went unpunished. A series of incidents had raised concerns about the fairness and consistency of refereeing, the EFA said in a statement.

Egypt went 2-0 up and then fell back, giving Argentina the ball in the dying moments. Enzo Fernandez scored from a cross by Lautaro Martinez to complete the comeback, and Egypt’s balance was further disrupted by the first-half injury to midfielder Emam Ashour.

Coach Hossam Hassan had opted for a more offensive approach than in previous games, but the side’s defensive organisation collapsed under sustained pressure.

The exit was disappointing, but Egypt did achieve some milestones in the tournament. The Pharaohs won their first World Cup game, advanced beyond the group stage for the first time and reached the Round of 16, setting a new national record. The EFA congratulated the players for their determination and performances during the competition.

SOURCE: Reuters