Egypt and Argentina Match Sparks Uproar Over VAR Decisions

Argentina’s 3-2 comeback win over Egypt sparked a debate among pundits over refereeing decisions and the defending champions’ late recovery.

Argentina’s 3-2 win over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16 has drawn strong reaction from former players, broadcasters, and refereeing analysts, with debate focused on VAR consistency and the defending champions’ late comeback.

Egypt led 2-0 in Atlanta before Argentina scored three times in the final 11 minutes to reach the quarter-finals against Switzerland. Egypt also had a goal ruled out by VAR before Argentina’s comeback, while later penalty appeals from the Egyptian side were not reviewed at the same length. afsport.lat

France legend Thierry Henry said the controversy should be judged through consistency rather than conspiracy.

“The real issue is consistency,” Henry said. He added that Egypt had reason to ask why one incident received a detailed VAR review while later penalty appeals were dealt with more quickly.

Henry also praised both teams, saying Argentina showed character to recover and Egypt deserved respect for their organisation and belief.

Roy Keane took a different view, rejecting claims that Egypt’s defeat should be explained mainly through refereeing. The former Manchester United captain said Egypt should “look in the mirror” after losing a two-goal lead.

“Blaming referees and claiming the tournament is a marketing scheme doesn’t change the fact that your side couldn’t see the game out,” Keane said.

As for Gary Neville, he said Argentina had been “riding their luck” during the knockout stage after also surviving a scare against Cape Verde in the previous round.

Neville added that Argentina were not playing well enough to keep progressing in the same way, but that their spirit made them difficult to finish off.

“They don’t give in,” Neville said.

Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright focused on the late move that led to Argentina’s winner. Speaking after the match, Wright questioned why the same VAR threshold was not applied when Mohamed Salah went down before Argentina broke forward to score.

“If you’re going to pull it back for Argentina, you have to pull it back for this one,” Wright said.

However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic sided with those who placed responsibility on Egypt’s failure to protect their lead, saying Egypt should “look at themselves first” after leading 2-0 and failing to win.

“Football doesn’t forgive mistakes, especially at the World Cup,” Ibrahimovic said.

Other commentators also questioned the officiating. Former England striker Alan Shearer wrote that similar incidents should be treated the same way, “Either both are fouls, or neither is a foul.”

Former FIFA referee Fernando Guerrero also questioned the decision to disallow Egypt’s goal. He said the incident should not have been treated as part of the attacking possession phase because Argentina had time and defensive structure before Egypt scored.

The debate is likely going to follow the winners into the quarter-finals, with Argentina set to face Switzerland. Egypt exit after their deepest World Cup run, having reached the knockout stage for the first time and beaten Australia on penalties before losing to the defending champions.

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Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s high jump superstar Mutaz Barshim is looking to build on his return from injury, when he competes against an impressive field at the Monaco Diamond League today, being held at the iconic Stade Louis II.

The Tokyo 2020 gold medallist arrives in Monaco after clearing a season’s best 2.27m in Doha last month, his best jump in more than a year, as he continues his comeback following a long spell on the sidelines.

“It’s really good to be back here in Monaco. I have a lot of great memories in this stadium,” Barshim said during the press conference yesterday.

“Last year was really difficult for me, dealing with some very serious injuries. Now I’m finally back, able to put on my spikes and do what I love the most, which is jumping and competing,” the 35-year-old said.

“My legs are a bit more tired than they were 15 years ago, but I’m ready to jump. I feel good,” Barshim, who made the second highest jump in the history, said.

Reflecting on his career, Barshim said he is “lucky to have competed through three generations.”

“When I retire, I want people to remember that I produced high-level performances for a very long time. The longer you perform at the highest level, the more you separate yourself from everyone else,” Barshim said.

Beyond his own performance, Barshim also spoke about his involvement in promoting athletics through his What Gravity Tour, a high jump series designed to bring elite competition closer to fans.

“I’ve been travelling for more than a decade and writing down ideas. I feel like this is the right time to make them happen,” he said.

The series has seen immense success during its previous outings in Doha, Germany and Slovakia, with Monaco set to host the next stop on August 5.

“It’s a show for the people while also giving athletes a World Athletics-certified competition. Hopefully we can attract new fans to the sport we love,” Barshim said.

The men’s high jump at tomorrow’s Diamond League meeting promises to be one of the most competitive events, with a field featuring six athletes who have cleared at least 2.33m in their careers.

The Qatari superstar remains the standout performer on paper with a personal best of 2.43m, comfortably the highest in the field, although his season’s best of 2.27m reflects his gradual return to his usual form.

Among his challengers today, Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk has the best seasonal best mark (2.33m) while Czech Republic’s Jan Stefela also arrives in excellent form with a season best of 2.32m.

Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, who famously shared the gold medal with Barshim at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, also returns to Diamond League action following a long hiatus, while Doha meeting winner Matteo Sioli of Italy, Mexico’s Erick Portillo, Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford and American JuVaughn Harrison also add strength to the field.

Among other highlights, the meeting will also features some of the biggest names in world athletics, led by pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, who has set his sights on a 16th world record at his new home stadium after relocating to Monaco.

Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred headlines a stacked women’s 200m field that also includes Olympic champion Gabrielle Thomas and world leader Adaejah Hodge, promising one of the fastest races of the season.

The men’s 100m is also under the spotlight, with reigning world champion Oblique Seville taking on Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo and world indoor champion Jordan Anthony, promising fireworks at the 10th stop of the prestigious series.

واصل المنتخب الفرنسي مشواره نحو استعادة لقب كأس العالم، بعدما حجز مقعده في الدور نصف النهائي من مونديال 2026، إثر فوزه على المنتخب المغربي بهدفين دون رد، في المباراة التي جمعتهما أمس ضمن منافسات الدور ربع النهائي.
وعانى المنتخب الفرنسي في الشوط الأول بعدما أهدر قائده كيليان مبابي ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 29، إثر تألق الحارس المغربي ياسين بونو الذي نجح في التصدي لها، ليبقي النتيجة متعادلة دون أهداف.
وفي الشوط الثاني، تمكن مبابي من تعويض إهداره لركلة الجزاء، بعدما افتتح التسجيل في الدقيقة 60، قبل أن يعزز عثمان ديمبلي تقدم “الديوك” بالهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 66، ليؤكد تفوق المنتخب الفرنسي ويحسم بطاقة التأهل إلى المربع الذهبي.
وبهذا الانتصار، ودع المنتخب المغربي “أسود الأطلس” منافسات كأس العالم 2026، بعد مشوار مميز في البطولة، فيما ينتظر المنتخب الفرنسي في الدور نصف النهائي الفائز من المواجهة المرتقبة بين منتخبي إسبانيا وبلجيكا.

قال مبابي أفضل لاعب في المباراة «نحن راضون، لقد تجاوزنا مرحلة جديدة في البطولة». وأضاف «سنواصل العمل حتى مباراة الباراغواي لمعرفة ما يمكن تحسينه»، معتبرا أن أداء المنتخب الفرنسي لا يزال «قابلا للتطوير».
أما مدربه ديدييه ديشان، فشرح «لن أقول إن مباراتنا كانت سهلة، لكن كان لدينا هامش مريح، حتى لو كان بإمكاننا أن نكون أكثر فاعلية في الشوط الأول. لذلك، يجب الاستمتاع بالأمر. نعلم أنه بعد أربعة أيام تنتظرنا مباراة أخرى، لكننا هنا من أجل ذلك، واللاعبون هنا من أجل ذلك».
وأصبحت فرنسا أول منتخب في تاريخ كأس العالم يسجل ثلاثة أهداف أو أكثر في خمس مباريات متتالية.
وتابع الثلاثي الهجومي الضارب المؤلف من مبابي وعثمان ديمبيليه ومايكل أوليسيه تألقه مع فرنسا الباحثة عن تأهل ثالث تواليا، فيما اعتبر مدربهم ديشان أن مهاجميه يتحدثون «لغة كروية واحدة».

أعلن النادي العربي التعاقد رسميا مع لاعب الوسط المغربي أسامة طنان قادما من أم صلال.
ونشر النادي على حسابه الرسمي في منصة «إكس» مقطعا مصورا أكد فيه انضمام اللاعب لصفوف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم اعتبارا من الموسم المقبل 2026 - 2027.
وانضم طنان (32 عاما) لنادي أم صلال في صيف عام 2023 قادما من نادي «إن إي سي» الهولندي ولعب معه لمدة ثلاثة مواسم.
وكان اللاعب المغربي بدأ مسيرته الاحترافية في موسم 2012 - 2013 مع فريق هيرنفين الهولندي، قبل أن ينتقل لمواطنه هيراكليز ألميلو الذي خاض معه ثلاثة موسم من 2013 وحتى 2016.
ودافع اللاعب بعد ذلك عن ألوان أندية سانت إتيان الفرنسي ولاس بالماس الإسباني في الفترة من 2016 إلى 2019، قبل العودة لهولندا من بوابة فريق أوتريخت، ثم مواطنه فيتيسه أرنهم، لينتقل بعدها إلى نادي جوزتيبي التركي في 2022.
ويعد التعاقد مع طنان الصفقة الأولى للنادي العربي الذي يستعد لخوض منافسات الموسم المقبل، بعدما أنهى مشواره في دوري نجوم قطر 2025 - 2026 في المركز السابع.
كما أعلن النادي التعاقد مع اللاعب التونسي يوسف سنانة، في تدعيمات قوية لصفوف الأحلام استعداداً لموسم أكثر تألقا تحت قيادة المدرب الروماني كوزمين.