Egypt's national football coach, Hossam Hassan, has vehemently blamed 'unfair' refereeing decisions and 'external factors' for his team's dramatic World Cup elimination by Argentina, stating he will no longer watch the tournament.
Yawer Hassan said a calm adherence to process and an intent to respond to conditions rather than reputation helped him produce a crucial innings on the opening day of their maiden Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka.
The 2026 World Cup has been marred by widespread controversy surrounding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, with coaches, players, and fans criticising its application, consistency, and impact on match outcomes, leading to a significant increase in interventions and red cards.
Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan expressed pride in his team's performance after a 1-1 draw against Belgium in their World Cup opener. Despite coming close to a historic win, Hassan highlighted the team's quality, ambition, and the strong contributions of players like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, asserting that Egypt is not just there to "make up the numbers." The draw is seen as a significant step in reinventing the national team's identity.
Argentina produced a stunning comeback after falling two goals behind, scoring twice in four minutes through Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi to beat Egypt 3-2 in their last 16 clash of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Egypt secured their first-ever World Cup knockout victory, defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in a last-32 match at Dallas Stadium, advancing to the last-16.
Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup hopes alive thanks to a stunning goal from teenager Kerim Alajbegovic, which powered them towards a tense 3-1 win over Qatar on Wednesday and secured third place in Group B to eliminate their opponents.
Inspired by Lamine Yamal, Spain strolled to a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Group H on Sunday, where Mikel Oyarzabal restored his reputation with two goals and Luis de la Fuente's side found their groove after an underwhelming World Cup opener.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has staunchly defended the officiating in Argentina's 3-2 World Cup victory over Egypt, dismissing allegations of bias and asserting that match officials operated with complete independence, despite Egypt's complaints about unfair treatment.
The Egyptian Football Association on Wednesday criticised refereeing decisions in Egypt's dramatic 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 defeat by Argentina, saying it would not remain silent over what it described as the improper use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt in their World Cup opener after Romelu Lukaku's second-half introduction led to an own goal. Egypt had taken an early lead through Emam Ashour, and despite Belgium's numerous chances, they struggled to equalise until Lukaku's impact. Both coaches reflected on the match, with Belgium's coach highlighting the importance of their next game against Iran, and Egypt's coach feeling his side was closer to victory.
Talismanic Mohamed Salah scores twice to help Egypt rally to 3-1 win over New Zealand on Sunday.
Ellyes Skhiri's own goal in Tunisia's 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands on Thursday took the total number of own goals at the FIFA World Cup 2026 to 12, equalling the record for most in a single tournament.
Afghanistan cricketers Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri, among others, have expressed their profound condolences following the passing of former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran at the age of 38 due to a prolonged illness.
Norway's prolific striker Erling Haaland wasted no time in opening his World Cup account as he found the net twice in a 4-1 defeat of Iraq in Group I on Tuesday that sent a warning to defenders in the rest of the tournament.
Matt Renshaw produced a career-best unbeaten 89 to guide Australia to a seven-run victory over Bangladesh in the second Twenty20 on Friday, sealing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Mohamed Salah scored and assisted as Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver, securing the country's first-ever FIFA World Cup victory and moving top of Group G.
The 2026 World Cup has witnessed an unusual number of own goals in its opening 10 days, with seven already recorded, making it the second-highest tally in tournament history. The United States has benefited from two such incidents. This trend is notable given the tournament's expansion and could surpass the 2018 record of 12 own goals. Several players from different nations have contributed to this statistic, highlighting a peculiar aspect of the early matches.
Pakistan's newly-appointed hockey team head coach, Manzur ul Hassan, believes the nation erred by not participating in the FIH Pro League's inaugural edition in 2019, depriving players of crucial experience against top-tier opponents.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to bring together the world's top teams for a month of fast-paced, high-stakes cricket, as they compete for the biggest prize in the shortest format of the game.
Afghanistan A caused a major upset by eking out a four-run win over star-studded India A via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-marred tri-nation series match in Dambulla on Thursday.
Iran's soccer team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that a peace deal between the two nations was announced.
Drishyam 3, the latest installment in the popular Malayalam franchise, struggles to maintain the ingenuity and thrilling narrative of its predecessors, with Georgekutty's once-brilliant facade showing significant cracks, leading to a convoluted plot and a less engaging antagonist-driven conflict.
The highly-anticipated Drishyam 3 teaser has dropped, promising a gripping continuation of Georgekutty's relentless battle to safeguard his family, with Mohanlal returning to face new, unseen threats.
Aamir Khan's upcoming film, aims to shed light on the 1952-1953 India-Pakistan series, which occurred just five years after Partition and marked Pakistan's first official Test series.
'Very happy to contribute for the team. The wicket was very good and I tried to time the ball and hold my shape.'
Updates from Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy final between Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka, in Hubbali on Tuesday.
The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Afghanistan veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and 19-year-old Hassan Eisakhil created history as they became the first father-son pair to bat together in a major T20 league.
Mayank Agarwal stroked a fluent century to lead Karnataka's fightback after Auqib Nabi's three-wicket haul had put Jammu and Kashmir in control, on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy final.
Jammu and Kashmir scripted an extraordinary tale of resilience in Indian domestic cricket to claim their maiden Ranji Trophy title by out-batting traditional heavyweights Karnataka in the final in Hubbali on Saturday.
India will be keen to get the job done against Bangladesh and seal their place in Sunday's final before considering resting their players.
India face arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-stakes U-19 World Cup Super Six clash, seeking revenge for their crushing Asia Cup final defeat in Bulawayo.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
Goals from Dani Olmo, Raphinha, and an acrobatic Lamine Yamal strike powered the Catalans to 52 points, one ahead of Real Madrid.
Dhruv Jurel continued his remarkable form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 with an unbeaten 160 for Uttar Pradesh against Baroda, a knock that sends a clear message to selectors ahead of India's New Zealand ODI series.
Netherlands' Hassan grinds out thrilling marathon gold in sprint finish
In the final over, when the nerves jangled, it was Bangladesh who stayed composed and savoured the sweet taste of success. Sri Lanka's 8-match winning streak in the T20 Asia Cup came to a bitter end with this defeat.
Emotions often get the better of his side when facing arch-rivals India, a flaw former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif believes has cost them crucial matches in recent years.
With Fatorda buzzing and continental football back where it belongs, the Gaurs will hope to make a statement and prove they belong among Asia's elite.
