Controversial Penalty Decision Overshadows Egypt’s Victory Over South Africa

South African head coach Hugo Broos disclosed that Mohamed Salah expressed his astonishment at receiving the penalty that resulted in Egypt’s winning goal in their 1-0 victory on Friday in Agadir.

Salah’s successful panenka penalty was awarded following a foul he drew from Khuliso Mudau. The contact, which occurred when Mudau’s hand made minimal contact with Salah’s face, raised questions about the validity of the call.

“In the first half, Egypt was the stronger team. However, in the second half, we outperformed them. The match was ultimately decided by two contentious decisions—both of which were incorrect,” Broos stated during the post-match press conference.

Broos emphasized, “The first decision was absurd. Even Mo Salah commented to me after the match that he was surprised it was deemed a penalty.”

The other controversial decision involved a potential penalty for South Africa, which was denied when Yasser Ibrahim blocked a Teboho Mokoena shot with his arm in the closing moments of the match. Although a VAR review was conducted, no penalty was awarded as Ibrahim’s arm was ruled to be in a natural position to support his body.

“The second decision was a clear penalty, as his arm was extended and the ball struck it. Yet, the concept of a ‘supporting arm’ was invoked. What exactly constitutes a supporting arm?” Broos questioned.

He further remarked, “The multitude of rules regarding penalty decisions has created confusion, leaving people unsure of what constitutes a penalty.”

Despite playing the second half with a numerical advantage due to Mohamed Hany receiving a red card for a second yellow before halftime, South Africa struggled to capitalize on their possession. They maintained 62% of the ball and had 16 shots compared to Egypt’s seven, yet they could not penetrate Egypt’s resolute defense.

With their advancement secured, Egypt will face Angola in Agadir on Monday. Meanwhile, South Africa must finalize their position against neighboring Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on the same day.