Egypt Suffered from VAR Errors in World Cup Loss to Argentina, Says Ex-Referee

Egypt was reportedly the victim of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) errors during their 2-3 defeat against Argentina in the World Cup Round of 16. Former World Cup referee Fernando Guerrero has asserted that both the on-field referee and VAR officials made mistakes by disallowing a crucial Egyptian goal.

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The referee and VAR made a mistake when disallowing Egypt's goal. No foul was committed against an Argentinian player. Even if they considered it a foul, the incident should not have been reviewed as part of the Attacking Phase of Play (APP). Argentina had enough time, space, and their defenders were in a good position. In fact, Argentina had three opportunities to regain the ball but failed.

Guerrero explained that no foul was committed against an Argentinian player, and even if a foul was perceived, the incident should not have been reviewed under the Attacking Phase of Play (APP) protocol. He highlighted that Argentina had ample time and space, and their defenders were well-positioned, yet they failed to regain possession.

According to Guerrero, the decision directly contradicted VAR protocol, which mandates intervention only in cases of a clear attacking continuity and when the team that lost possession had no reasonable chance to recover it. He concluded that the VAR and refereeing errors were detrimental to Egypt and contributed to their elimination from the tournament.

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The decision was clearly against the VAR protocol which stipulates that the referee can only intervene if there is a clear attacking continuity and the team that lost the ball does not have a reasonable chance to regain possession.

Guerrero, who was part of the officiating team for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar where Argentina emerged as champions, served as an assistant VAR for the final match and oversaw the VAR system in several group stage games. His comments, shared on social media, offer a critical perspective on the officiating during the match.

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VAR and the referee made a mistake that harmed Egypt and contributed to their elimination.