Argentina staged a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the Geopolitics World Cup quarter-finals, but the match will be remembered for a controversial VAR decision that disallowed a magnificent Egyptian goal. The win left Lionel Messi in tears at full-time, while Egypt's manager Hossam Hassan accused the officials of injustice.
Egypt's Disallowed Masterpiece
The most talked-about moment came when Egypt thought they had scored a stunning second goal. Haissem Hassan, making his first start of the tournament, embarked on a mesmerizing run down the right wing, weaving through defenders before finding Mohamed Salah. Salah's through ball met the perfectly timed run of Mostafa Ziko, who finished first-time to seemingly give Egypt a two-goal lead against the holders.
However, VAR intervened, ruling that Lisandro Martínez had his shirt pulled and foot stood on at the other end before Hassan's run began. Former Premier League referee Chris Foy defended the decision, saying: "The simple fact is it was right to disallow it. There is no time limit or ceiling on the number of passes to be taken into account." Yet, The Athletic's referee expert Graham Scott disagreed: "The decision to disallow Egypt's goal is incorrect. If we look at the incident, there was some contact, both foot-on-foot and a fleeting hold of the shirt, but there was no offence worthy of a VAR call-back committed here."
Egypt's Strong Performance and Collapse
Ziko eventually did score legitimately, set up again by Hassan, as Egypt dominated on the counter-attack. But after Hassan left the field, Argentina mounted a comeback. Egypt also claimed they should have had a penalty before Enzo Fernández's decisive header. Hossam Hassan said his side had "suffered an injustice" and vowed not to watch another minute of the tournament.
Messi's Redemption and Argentina's Resilience
Lionel Messi had a penalty saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir before redeeming himself with a crucial contribution. The match was an emotional cracker that showcased both teams' resilience. Argentina now advance to the semi-finals, while Egypt exit with a sense of grievance.
Quote of the Day
Ed Sheeran, who has visited the England camp, predicted an England-France final, saying: "I think when you get to the final anyone can win and I think it will be us."
