India, July 10 -- The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said Wednesday it "cannot remain silent" after what it believes was unfair and biased officiating in Egypt's 3-2 round of 16 loss against Argentina.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and several players criticised the officiating after being left in disbelief as Argentina scored three unanswered goals in 13 minutes to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in World Cup history.

"Defending the rights and interests of the Egyptian national team is not a matter that can be ignored, minimised, or treated as secondary," the EFA said in a statement. "It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination."

FIFA's chief of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, in a statement issue...