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Tunisia's coach Mondher Kebaier (right) protests against the decision of the referee Janny Sikazwe
Photo: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY / REUTERS
In the group F game in the Africa Cup on Wednesday, the referee's decisions resulted in chaotic scenes.
The referee from Zambia, Janny Sikazwe, had the game between Tunisia and Mali (0-1) in Cameroon twice too early.
After 85:06 minutes, Sikazwe had seen enough of the game in Limbe and the whistle was blown.
However, the players convinced him that he had made a mistake.
After 89:45 minutes it was finally over - at least from Sikazwe's point of view.
The referee was not impressed by the angry protests of the past Tunisians and left the field under the protection of security forces.
The second premature whistle is all the more questionable as Mali's midfielder El Bilal Touré saw the red card in the 87th minute and the game was long paused due to video evidence.
The expulsion was just as controversial as the two hand penalties of the game.
Mali's Ibrahima Koné (48th minute) used the first to score the winning goal, while the Tunisian Wahbi Khazri (77th) missed the second.
Players have already been in the ice bath
Story told?
Far from it.
As Mali's coach Mohamed Magassouba was at the press conference, officials informed him that the remaining minutes would still be played.
The Mali and Sikazwe players gathered around 40 minutes after the final whistle, but the Tunisians did not come.
After a short wait, Sikazwe finally whistled.
Magassouba went back to the press conference, exasperated.
"In 30 years in this business, I've never seen anything like it," said Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier.
“His decision is inexplicable.
We'll see what happens now. "When the order came to return to the field, his players were" already in the ice baths. "
Tunisia is one of the broader favorites at the tournament.
Sikazwe is nominated for the fifth time for the Africa championship, he was also at the 2018 World Cup and headed two preliminary round matches in Russia.
ngo / dpa / sid
