The Egyptian delegation faced an unforeseen logistical problem off the field, despite the recent victory over New Zealand, which marked their first World Cup triumph. The team planned to travel from Vancouver, Canada, to Seattle, United States, for the next match, but was denied entry to the American city and was forced to return to its base in Spokane.
The Egyptian Football Federation, in a statement to the English newspaper The Sun, detailed that coach Hossam Hassan justified his intention to travel directly to Seattle in order to minimize the athletes’ fatigue. The city was scheduled to host the team’s clash against Iran, scheduled for the early hours of Friday, the 26th, to Saturday, June 27th, at midnight, Brasília time.
The team’s concentration in Spokane is located approximately 450 kilometers from Seattle. Faced with the refusal of local security authorities, the Egyptian team had no alternative but to return to their usual training location.
Hassan explained that the team wanted to head to Seattle immediately after the game against New Zealand, in order to spare the players the strain of additional travel before the crucial match against Iran. However, the authorities’ decision required the delegation to return to Spokane.
The 3-1 result against New Zealand, with goals from Zico, Salah and Trezeguet, was a historic milestone for Egyptian football, representing its first World Cup victory after a period of 92 years since its debut. Mohamed Salah, the team’s main star, celebrated the achievement with dances in the locker room and on the streets of Vancouver, alongside the fans.
Egypt currently leads Group G with four points, being the only team that has won the group. Belgium and Iran remain in the table with two points each. A draw in the next game against Iran would be enough to guarantee an unprecedented qualification for the knockout stage, and could even consolidate the first position in the group for the Egyptians.