Questionable penalty sinks All Whites against Egypt
Saturday, 23 March 2024
At New Administrative Capital Stadium: Egypt 1 (Mostafa Mohamed pen 29’) All Whites 0. HT: 1-0
The All Whites lost 1-0 to hosts Egypt in their semifinal at the ACUD International Football Cup.
The decisive goal was a penalty by Mostafa Mohamed midway through the first half, awarded in questionable circumstances.
The All Whites will now play either Croatia or Tunisia on Wednesday (kickoff 9am NZ time).
The All Whites bore the brunt of a change of mind from the referee as they lost 1-0 to Egypt in Cairo on Saturday (NZ time).
A first-half penalty was all that separated the two sides in the first semifinal of the ACUD International Football Cup – and it was awarded in questionable circumstances.
When All Whites centre back Nando Pijnaker slid in and challenged Emam Ashour in the box in the 23rd minute, the initial call from referee Clement Franklin Kpan was that the defender got the ball first.
Side-on replays seemed to confirm that was the case, and others were at best inconclusive, but after being invited to review the tackle on a pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee, Kpan changed his mind and pointed to the spot.
Ashour injured his shoulder while going to ground, so Mostafa Mohamed stepped up and blasted the spot kick into the top of the net, giving goalkeeper Max Crocombe no chance.
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley said afterwards that the penalty call “looked like one of those ones that's very tight.
“I haven't seen it up close. It's disappointing that it wasn't given and then it ends up five minutes later being a penalty.”
The All Whites came closest to equalising in the 69th minute, when Sarpreet Singh won a free kick at the top of the box, then curled his effort into the left end of the crossbar.
'When we play some good football, we can match it with anyone,” Singh said afterwards. “It's a process. We're still building. We've still got a long way to go, and a lot of things to do better, but like I said, it's a process and we'll get there.”
Max Mata earlier had a shot smothered by Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal, after Singh played Liberato Cacace in down the left.
Cacace’s initial attempt was blocked and fell to Mata, who had let Singh’s throughball go the left back in the first place.
Egypt’s best chance to extend their lead came in the 79th minute, when Marwan Attia thundered a shot past Crocombe into the left post from well outside the box.
Bazeley made three enforced changes from his last starting lineup, with Chris Wood, Joe Bell and Tim Payne all absent injured.
They were replaced respectively by Mata, Clayton Lewis and Dane Ingham, while Wellington Phoenix duo Ben Old and Kosta Barbarouses made their returns to the national team off the bench.
Up next
The All Whites will now play either Croatia or Tunisia next Wednesday (kickoff 9am NZ time). Those two teams meet in the other semifinal on Sunday (kickoff 9am NZ time).