'What on earth': Football world rages over 'bizarre' referee gaffe
The football world has reacted with astonishment after Zimbabwean referee Janny Sikazwe blew the whistle to end the game twice before the 90th minute in the Africa Cup of Nations match between Tunisia and Mali.
Tunisia were 1-0 down in the 85th minute when Sikazwe made the bizarre decision to blow his whistle and prematurely end the match.
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Play restarted after the referee realised his mistake.
He then had time to send off Mali substitute El Bilal Toure in the 87th minute for a rash challenge.
But the madness had only started.
Sikazwe then blew full time again before the 90 minutes were up, according to the clock at the stadium and on TV broadcasts.
He also seemingly ignored that there had been a number of stoppages in the second half, including two VAR checks.
The second gaffe infuriated the Tunisia bench with the coach Mondher Kebaier storming the field.
Referee Sikazwe had to be escorted from the field by security officials and away from the furious Tunisians.
Kebaier called the referee's actions "inexplicable", saying: "He blew for full-time and asked us to go to the dressing room, so the players were in their ice baths, and then he asked us to come back out.
"In 30 years in this business, I have never seen anything like it."
Football world reacts to AFCON referee blunder
Football fans around the world were left stunned at the scenes and weigh-in on the drama.
π³ The referee has blown the whistle after 89 minutes in Tunisia vs Mali #AFCON
π‘ Tunisian coach Mondher Kebaier is furious with the decision to finish the game with no additional time pic.twitter.com/RISJCnclAKβ Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 12, 2022
Tunisia and Mali players are back on the pitch to resume the game after the referee blew his whistle after 89 minutes with no added time.
π³ Unbelievable scenes #AFCON pic.twitter.com/IFEasyxcDrβ Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 12, 2022
Just for balance, the same thing happened in La Liga a few months ago - the referee called time early, the game ended, the players (in the changing rooms, boots off etc) had to go back out. All this in a top European league. It's not an AFCON thing.
β Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnuttAFP) January 12, 2022
Referee Janny Sikazwe's game by numbers during #TeamTunisia 0-1 #TeamMali
28 fouls awarded
4 yellow cards
2 penalties awarded
2 early full-time whistles
1 red card
Incredible scenes. π€―#AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/uF6mZIJpM3β Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 12, 2022
Referee in the AFCON has blown the final whistle twice, first in the 85th minute, then 89th minute.
Security escorting the ref out of the stadium because the Tunisia coaching squad stormed the pitch π pic.twitter.com/8fIkulQsJzβ FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) January 12, 2022
Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba's press conference has just been interrupted
CAF officials barged in and are saying that the match will be re-started to play out the final three minutes
The coach is beside himselfβ Maher Mezahi (@MezahiMaher) January 12, 2022
What on EARTH did we just watch?! π€―
β° 85' Ref blows for full-time
β° 89' Ref blows full-time whistle AGAIN
π² No stoppage time despite VAR checks, 2 penalties & a red card
π² AFCON says match must resume & referee is changed
π² Tunisia fail to return to the pitch pic.twitter.com/f3WdmWX3Riβ Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) January 12, 2022
Bizarre officiating at the AFCON!π€¦πΏββοΈ
Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe ends the Mali πTunisia game prematurely in the 85th minute
Restarts game and blows the final whistle with few seconds of the full 90-minutes left. pic.twitter.com/iSzqchIyncβ YAC Sports (@YACMediaProd) January 12, 2022
There had been suggestions the game would be restarted amid reports that organisers had burst into the Mali team's post-game news conference and told coach Mohamed Magassouba that his players had to get back on the field to play another three minutes.
Officials gathered on the field about 30 minutes after the game had ended and were seen in discussions.
The scenes also provoked more sinister concerns because Sikazwe was provisionally suspended by the African soccer confederation in 2018 after being accused of match-fixing and corruption.
with AAP
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