An official from the CAF Referees Committee exposed a significant error by South African referee Tom Abongile during the Egypt vs. Cape Verde match in the final round of the Africa Cup of Nations group stage.
Speaking exclusively to “Al-Watan Sport,” the official, who chose to remain anonymous, stated, “Egypt’s goal is 100% legitimate, and there was a serious mistake by the VAR referee in communicating with the Chadian referee to verify the situation.
After the on-field referee correctly awarded the goal, a more extensive description would have resulted in a catastrophe if the goal had been disallowed.”
The Chadian referee was acknowledged for delivering a commendable performance overall.
However, the primary VAR referee’s involvement could have implicated the entire crew due to Egypt’s second goal.
Egypt secured their place in the Round of 16 after a 2-2 draw with Cape Verde.
Ghana’s 2-2 draw against Mozambique favored the Pharaohs, allowing them to advance to the knockout stage with a higher point difference.
The national team, with three draws in the group stage against Mozambique, Ghana, and Cape Verde, clinched a spot in the Round of 16.
Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” netted the first goal in the 50th minute, and Mustafa Mohamed secured the qualification goal in the 93rd minute.
Despite Egypt finishing second in the group with 3 points, trailing behind Cape Verde with 7 points, they officially qualified, taking advantage of Mozambique and Ghana’s draw.
In the upcoming Round of 16 clash on January 28, Egypt will face the second-placed team from Group F, which includes Morocco, Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Egypt’s securing of a Round of 16 spot in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations came after their third positive draw, a 2-2 result against Cape Verde in the group stage’s third match.
Goals from Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” in the 50th minute and Mustafa Mohamed’s golden-qualifying goal in the 93rd minute sealed their advancement.
With 3 points, the national team secured the second position in the group, trailing Cape Verde with 7 points.
This official advancement was confirmed after Mozambique and Ghana drew 2-2, allowing the Pharaohs to clinch the Round of 16 ticket as the group’s second-placed team.
Teams qualified for the Round of 16 in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations include Guinea Equatorial, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, and Senegal.
The competition in Group F is still undecided, with Mali leading with 4 points, followed by Mali and Namibia, each with 3 points, and Tunisia with a single point.
In Group G, Morocco leads with 4 points, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, each with 2 points, and Tanzania with a point.
