[Saba Sports News] In the World Cup Round of 16, Argentina staged a dramatic late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 with a last-minute winner, eliminating their opponents and advancing to the quarter-finals. After the final whistle, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan spat at Argentine supporters in the stands. Footage captured Hassan pointing to the Egyptian flag on his chest as he walked off the pitch. When he neared the entrance to the players’ tunnel, he suddenly spat toward fans in the stands before storming over to glare fiercely at a photographer documenting the incident. The provocation stemmed from Argentine fans waving Israeli flags to taunt Hassan. Notably, after Egypt secured a spot in the last 16, Hassan brought a Palestinian flag onto the pitch and stated: “I want to tell them this victory is dedicated to the people of Egypt and Palestine — all kind, noble people.” Following the full-time whistle, multiple Egyptian players surrounded the officiating crew to voice their frustrations. Several squad members also openly vented their anger while speaking to reporters in the mixed zone.
The editor believes that although Argentina claimed victory, the decisions made by the match referee sparked massive controversy. Full match statistics show Argentina committed a total of 13 fouls throughout the game without receiving a single yellow card. By contrast, Egypt racked up 11 fouls, and together with protests from the coaching staff, the side was handed five yellow cards and one red card in total. The inconsistent standard of officiating has become the core of all disputes.