England fans allege bias after referee with 5-0 Messi record gets semifinal

Major League Soccer referee Ismail Elfath has never overseen a Lionel Messi loss or draw - only wins.That's why his appointment to Argentina's World Cup semifinal against England on Wednesday (Jul 15) angered English fans and led to accusations of fixing the tournament for another Messi title.Elfath, an American citizen born in Morocco, was tapped for the England- Argentina showdown with fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins as his two assistants.Several online outlets noted that Messi's teams are 5-0 in matches that Elfath has worked in some capacity. He served as the fourth official for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, where Messi and Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout after an instant classic 3-3 draw.Then Messi joined Inter Miami the following summer. Elfath, a two-t