Argentina produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the FIFA World Cup 2026, rallying from two goals down to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 on Monday, but the defending champions’ victory was quickly overshadowed by controversy over two Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions that left Egypt furious.
Enzo Fernandez scored the winning goal deep into stoppage time to complete Argentina’s remarkable turnaround after the South Americans trailed 2-0 until the closing stages. The victory booked Argentina’s place in the quarterfinals, while Egypt’s elimination sparked renewed debate over the consistency of VAR on football’s biggest stage.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan criticized the officiating after the match, arguing that crucial decisions went against his side during key moments of the contest.
The first flashpoint came in the first half when Mostafa Ziko thought he had doubled Egypt’s lead with a clinical finish following a swift counterattack.
Referee Francois Letexier initially awarded the goal before being instructed by VAR to conduct an on-field review. After watching the replay, Letexier ruled that midfielder Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez earlier in the buildup by pulling him back and stepping on his foot, disallowing the goal.
The decision immediately sparked debate because the foul occurred deep inside Egypt’s own half while Argentina were still in possession, before Egypt recovered the ball and launched the counterattack that ended with Ziko finding the net several seconds later.
Ziko responded by scoring again minutes later to restore Egypt’s two-goal advantage, but the earlier decision remained a major talking point, with many observers arguing that allowing the first goal to stand would have given Egypt a commanding 3-0 lead.
Argentina gradually shifted the momentum, scoring twice in the final stages before Fernandez struck the decisive goal in stoppage time to complete an improbable comeback.
Egypt’s frustration deepened late in the match when Mohamed Salah appealed for a penalty after going down inside Argentina’s penalty area.
Egyptian players claimed Salah’s shirt was pulled before he appeared to be brought down by Julian Alvarez. Letexier waved play on, and VAR did not recommend an on-field review.
The contrasting use of VAR became the focus of the postmatch discussion, with Egypt questioning why officials intervened to review an incident in the buildup to its disallowed goal but did not advise a second look at Salah’s penalty appeal.
Several pundits also questioned the consistency of the officiating, pointing to a number of fouls by Argentina players that did not result in yellow cards.
Despite the controversy, Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals after completing one of the tournament’s most memorable recoveries. For Egypt, however, a campaign that had promised so much ended with lingering questions over two decisions that ultimately overshadowed a classic World Cup knockout contest.
