The attack on Mohamed Salah after Egypt's defeat against Senegal in Dakar and the heavy use of lasers by the fans of the host team caused an uproar on communication platforms, and some went to demand a replay of the match, similar to what happened in the famous "brick" match between Egypt and Zimbabwe.
Egypt lost 3-1 on penalties in the second leg of the final round of the African qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Senegal fans deliberately shined green laser beams from the stadium stands at the faces of the Egyptian captain, Mohamed Salah and his companions throughout the match and during the penalty shootout, which some and even international newspapers asserted had a negative impact on the Egyptian players who missed penalty kicks, namely Salah and Zizou.
Egypt's players yesterday lacked cunning during the penalty shootout, Salah, for example, could claim his inability to see and shoot, creating chaos and discussions and distracting the opponent's attention.
In FIFA law, "the local federation is responsible for the behavior of its fans, such as the use of laser pointers, and this exposes them to punishment even if they try to prevent it" pic.twitter.com/tTrS6ynaV9
— Muhammad Awad (@mohammedawaad) March 30, 2022
European newspapers circulated a snapshot of directing the laser beams on Salah's eyes while executing the first penalty kick for Egypt, which he missed very strangely, noting the difficulty of recording it in light of the negative impact of the rays.
Mohamed Salah misses from the spot as Senegal beat Egypt in a penalty shootout to qualify for the World Cup
Just look at the lasers 😲pic.twitter.com/Q2n6M3LCPW
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) March 29, 2022
The referee of the match, Mustafa Ghorbal, did not intervene, nor did he receive any request or complaint from the Egyptian players to intervene to stop the shining of these lights that are supposed to be annoying to them, which raises the eyebrows.
The matter did not differ much through the communication platforms, as tweeters and analysts commented on the same shot, stressing that the laser gave a relative advantage to Senegalese goalkeeper Mendy over the Egyptian players.
Mohamed Salah before his penalty miss against Senegal.
pic.twitter.com/szlmfxDJkN
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 29, 2022
Others referred to the use of the law of the International Football Association "FIFA" (FIFA), which in turn stipulates that the responsibility for these mass actions lies with the local federation, noting at the same time that the use of lasers is illegal.
But the unhappy fact for the Egyptian public is that although the laser may be illegal, it is impossible to be a reason to repeat any match, and the penalties imposed because of it do not exceed financial penalties or even transfer matches or play without an audience.
The Egyptian Federation expects a financial penalty or a transfer of matches
In the same context, the Egyptian Football Association announced - in a statement via Facebook - that it had submitted an official complaint against Senegal because of the attack on the mission, and the racist banners.
The president of the Federation, Jamal Allam, commented on this step in his statements after the match, saying, "We expect the result of the complaint we submitted, a financial penalty or the transfer of matches, but the result was settled and Senegal qualified for the World Cup."
Senegalese fans throw water bottles at Mohamed Salah and he goes out to protect security pic.twitter.com/gVINqbS2fk
— Kora Plus (@KoraPlusEG) March 29, 2022
Do you repeat the match between Egypt and Senegal?
Some went to the possibility of replaying the match between Egypt and Senegal because of the assault on Salah after the match, similar to what happened in the match between Egypt and Zimbabwe in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers, which took place on February 28, 1993, in which Egypt won 2-1 and was supposed to qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA decided to replay the match at a neutral stadium based on the report of the Gabonese referee and referee, Jean Fidel Diramba.
Indeed, the match was repeated in the French city of Lyon, and ended in a goalless draw, to qualify Cameroon - which rose to the top of the group instead of Egypt - to the World Cup America.
But the matter is different because the replay of the match came due to a fan throwing a stone during the match at a Zimbabwean player, injuring him, and goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar at the time contributed to the spotlight on the incident by tying his head also due to a stone injury as well.
There is a big difference between being hit by a stone from the fans during the match, which negatively affects the team - which is the main reason for the rematch of Egypt and Zimbabwe - and being hit by a stone from any outside person or anything similar after the end of the match, because it did not affect its result, but rather a behavior We walked, and the penalty is fines for transferring matches or playing without an audience only.
Former international referee
Not sure anything is more Twitter than when Twitter suddenly turns into penalty shootout specialists saying Salah bottled it like multiple lasers in your face wouldn't also put you off.
— Leanne Prescott (@_lfcleanne) March 29, 2022
This is insane!
Mo Salah taking a penalty for Egypt with the World Cup on the line and there are 3,000 laser pointers in his eyes.
Take a guess at what happens next....
pic.twitter.com/8PvpKUBksR
— Stu Holden (@stuholden) March 29, 2022
I mean, just look at this.
Salah sails his penalty over… and surely anybody would, given the lasers.
Mane scores, Senegal wins the shootout, Egypt out of the World Cup pic.twitter.com/tgHmCmW8uu
— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) March 29, 2022
Senegal fans aren't the first ones to use a laser to distract players during a match, but referee it's wild that the let this continue.
Salah missed the penalty, and Egypt is out of the World Cup.pic.twitter.com/OpRzEGk7yA
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 30, 2022
#Egypt_National, what happened is a farce from CAF since the beginning of the match and the lighting of the laser on the players of Egypt and the deliberate roughness of the Senegal players, which forced the exit of more than one injured player, and the farce concluded with penalty kicks by scattering the players with the laser.
Is FIFA involved?
Failed referee Failed observer.
pic.twitter.com/YLhpJEGJt7
- Badea Al-Saad Al-Harbi (@Beidea_BBS) March 29, 2022
The match between Egypt and Senegal is supposed to be repeated, the laser was directed in a way that missed opportunities for Egypt
— Hamad Lahdan Al Mohannadi (@hamadlahdan) March 29, 2022
In a fateful match that will decide your fate to qualify for the World Cup, lasers are used on all players, especially Salah
A scandal and a disgrace to what has happened now, how can he distort the Plenty when his face is all laser!!
Shame on FIFA and the African Union if they don't play the match.. Replaying the match is a requirement and Salah and Egypt have the right.
pic.twitter.com/eSeHXrZast
— Muhammad 🇪🇬 (@Mo_Salah11a) March 29, 2022