Mali won 1-0 against Tunisia in an incredible final match, with two premature stoppages in the game and an attempted resumption 20 minutes after the final whistle.
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Ubuesque scene during the CAN 2022 Mali-Tunisia match, Wednesday January 12. The final whistle of the match sounded first in the 85th minute and then with a few seconds left to play, angering the Carthage Eagles who still hoped to equalize, Wednesday in Limbé during the African Cup of nations (CAN). Return on the five moments which caused this imbroglio making mad with rage the Tunisians, finally declared losers by refusing to return on the lawn twenty minutes after the final whistle.
A first final whistle in the 85th minute
With five minutes remaining in regulation time, the Zambian referee Janny Zikwaze whistles the end of the match in the 85th minute. Misunderstanding in the stadium and on the lawn. He realizes his mistake and the match resumes.
El Bilal Touré receives a red card
A few minutes after the resumption of play, the Reims striker was sent off for a sole on his opponent in the 87th minute. A contentious decision and which contributes to fuel the confusion born of the first final whistle. Janny Zikwaze is called late to the VAR, when the player is already in the tunnel. Touré returns to the edge of the field full of hope but the referee ultimately does not change his decision.
A second final whistle in the 89th minute
While the match has not yet arrived at 90 minutes and the fourth referee prepares to raise his panel to indicate extra time, Janny Zikwaze once again whistles the end of the match before it is over. The incomprehension gives way to anger on the Tunisian bench which does not return from it. The coach and his staff run on the lawn to ask for explanations and contest the decision. With two uses of the video and eight changes, the Tunisians could legitimately hope for several minutes of added time to equalize.
# CAN2021
End of controversial match between Tunisia and Mali!#TUNMLI pic.twitter.com/gAjE4iRvbz– beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) January 12, 2022
Announcement of the resumption of the match twenty minutes after the final whistle
While we thought that this whole affair was closed, CAF officials announced the resumption of the match for three minutes in the middle of a press conference by Malian coach Mohamed Magassouba. An announcement that surprises once again, twenty minutes after the final whistle.
Tunisians do not return to the lawn, Mali wins
A match that will ultimately not resume. The Tunisians refused to return to the pitch and Mali finally won 1-0 by decision of the 4th referee, who came to replace Janny Zikwaze as main referee. The question now is whether Tunisia will make a technical complaint and whether the Carthage Eagles could be penalized with a forfeit for not showing up for the restart.
“The players were taking cold baths before they were called back to the pitch. I’ve been a coach for a long time and I’ve never seen that!”, reacted the Tunisian coach Mondher Kebaier.