The Egyptian Football Association is seeking redress after being disgusted by the refereeing in Tuesday’s dramatic 3-2 World Cup last-16 defeat against Argentina.
The world champions came back from 2-0 down after 79 minutes to win, but Egypt felt they should have been 3-0 up after a video review disallowed a goal from Zico for a minor foul.
The Pharaohs also believe they had a strong penalty claim just before Enzo Fernandez’s injury-time winner.
Association president Hany Abo Rida told reporters in the team hotel that he had filed a complaint with FIFA against French referee François Letexier and his assistants. He called for the refereeing team to be excluded from the rest of the tournament.
The Egyptians want an investigation into the officials.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan had already made serious accusations immediately after the match.
“We have been treated unfairly and it has been an injustice,” he said. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted (Lionel) Messi to stay in the running.”
Hassan also announced a personal World Cup boycott when he returns to Cairo.
“I promise you: as soon as I’m back, I will no longer follow matches at this World Cup,” he said. “That is my inner struggle, my inner protest, my own way of raising my voice and fighting back.”
Former Bundesliga referee Patrick Ittrich agreed that Egypt should have had a late penalty at 2-2 when Mohamed Salah was challenged by Alexis Mac Allister.
“For me, and I’m relatively clear about this, it’s actually a penalty. He does nothing other than pull the shirt. The impulse is there to stop the player from possibly getting to the second ball,” he told MagentaTV. VAR did not intervene.
