CAF compiles reports on the controversial Tunis-Mali arbitration

The African Football Confederation (CAF) has assured in a statement that it is compiling reports on what happened in the Tunis-Mali match, in which Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe whistled the end of the match twice early.

“In relation to the African Cup of Nations match between Tunisia and Mali played in Limbe on January 12, 2022, the CAF is compiling all the necessary reports from the referees present at the match”, Indicates the continental body.

Likewise, it states that “is forwarding these documents to the competent CAF bodies“And that at this time” it is not in a position to make further comments until the responsible bodies indicate the way forward. “

The first time he decreed the end came when there were still five minutes to play before reaching the mandatory ninety, which provoked angry protests from both the players and the Tunisian bench, which led the referee to resume the contest.

But, shortly after, the referee returned to whistle the end before time. He stopped the match to review in the video images the action that cost Malian striker El Bilal Toure to be sent off at 88 minutes and decided that the match was over with 15 seconds remaining to the end of ninety.

The bizarre panorama ended when, forty minutes after the end of the match, the Malian players jumped onto the field again to dispute the time remaining to play.

The Tunisian team did not, who did not return to the field of play, nor did the referee Janny Sikazwe, who was replaced by the fourth official, who was in charge of definitively ending the match.

What happened put football in the background, in a match in which Mali won with a penalty goal in the 48th minute from striker Ibrahima Koné. The Tunisian team had the opportunity to equalize in the 77th minute with a penalty shot by Wahbi Khazri that was stopped by Malian goalkeeper Ibrahim Mounkoro.