Egypt star Mostafa Ziko has claimed that his nation's World Cup last-16 clash with Argentina was rigged, alleging that the South American side is being lined up to win the tournament. The reigning world champions came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in Atlanta, but the match was marred by controversial refereeing decisions.
Ziko's Explosive Allegations
Ziko, who scored Egypt's second goal, did not hold back in his assessment of the officials. He said: "The referee wasn't good, he was unfair. His injustice was clear. He persecuted us from the start of the match. He doesn't want us to win. It was a rigged game. It wasn't our fault. That referee… it seems like this match was rigged. We were winning 2-0, and he kept coming at us. Congratulations to Argentina on another World Cup, it seems."
He added: "At no point did we think the match was already decided. We knew we were facing the reigning world champions. Even before the game started, we knew we would be facing a very strong team and one of the favourites for the title. But if they had won solely on their own merits it would have been very different for us."
Controversial Decisions
Egypt had a goal ruled out by VAR after an apparent foul on Nicolas Tagliafico earlier in the move. They were also left furious by the decision not to award a penalty just moments before Argentina's winning goal. These decisions sparked outrage among the Egyptian camp and fans alike.
Manager's Outburst
Egypt boss Hossam Hassan also took aim at the referees after the match. He said: "We haven't seen respect or fair play. A penalty was ruled out and a second incident that should have been checked for a penalty for us was not even checked by the VAR. A second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed. There seems to have been pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee that has brought about this outcome."
Hassan continued: "Life is unfair. The world is unfair. OK, but why isn't there any fairness in sports? I'm not convinced by this outcome and by the way things unfolded in this match. 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 directed towards Argentina."
Impact on the Tournament
Argentina's comeback keeps their dream of winning back-to-back World Cups alive, but the controversy has cast a shadow over their progression. Egypt, who were two goals ahead, now exit the tournament feeling cheated. The allegations of rigging have added fuel to the debate about refereeing standards in high-stakes matches.
