Egypt coach blasts refereeing and turns his back on World Cup

Sports argentinaEgyptfootballworld cup Egypt coach blasts refereeing and turns his back on World Cup Fifa World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 Argentina Vs Egypt Relevant News Egypt coach blasts refereeing and turns his back on World Cup 8 July 2026 Fresh yellow warning issued for storms and hail today 8 July 2026 Limassol residents live in fear of stray dogs that kill animals; they say authorities do nothing 8 July 2026 Newsroom 8 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Egypt coach Hossam Hassan will not be watching any more of the World Cup, he said on Tuesday, blaming refereeing errors for his country’s heartbreaking elimination from the tournament at the hands of Argentina. Egypt were 2-0 up with 11 minutes left of their last 16 clash against the holders Argentina, agonisingly close to one of the great World Cup upsets, only to concede three goals in the closing stages and go out. They were picked apart at the end of the game by a Lionel Messi-inspired comeback, but ex-PAOK striker Hassan insisted his team were better. “I’m going home and won’t be watching any more games from the tournament,” he told a press conference. “What happened to us wasn’t fair. We should have had a penalty, a goal was disallowed, and I don’t know why it was disallowed.” Egypt netted in the 62nd minute through Mostafa Zico, but a VAR check found there was a foul from the Egyptians in the buildup. They also claimed a late penalty after a tug on Hamdy Fathy, and their anger was exacerbated by Argentina going down the other end and scoring a 92nd-minute winner. “Even if the goals came from mistakes, the biggest mistake is not getting what you’re entitled to from those responsible for making the decisions,” said Hassan, whose press conference was a long litany of complaints. “I’m the type of person who hates losing. And when it’s a defeat that feels unjust like today’s, I can only tell the fans not to be upset. We wanted so much to give them more joy,” he added. “But what made me happy was that my players followed the game plan on many occasions and worked very well.” Egypt had been surprisingly attacking early on in the game, a departure from Hassan’s usual tactic of playing with a tight defence and looking for counter-attack opportunities. It helped them take an early lead, but it was the heroics of goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir that ensured they remained in front by halftime. “I’m very, very satisfied with the effort they put in. Most of our players come from the Egyptian domestic league, while many players in other national teams are based in Europe and live in that professional environment,” Hassan added. “Yet with predominantly local players — besides Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush — we were able to compete with anyone.” (Reuters) Read more: World Cup summary: Belgium crush USA as Spain end Ronaldo’s World Cup career Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Fresh yellow warning issued for storms and hail today Limassol residents live in fear of stray dogs that kill animals; they say authorities do nothing Driver in Paphos fined for speeding in Latsia gets acquited by court Anti-Corruption Authority to probe Cyprus black van surveillance case Will AI make firms smaller? Holidaymakers beware: What the EU’s new biometric borders mean for Cyprus travelers Two more cloudy days until skies clear on Friday Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.