The Africa Cup of Nations match between Mali and Tunisia on Wednesday ended in confusion amid bizarre scenes as the Tunisian team complained that the referee had blown the final whistle too soon.
The referee initially blew the final after 85th minutes before the match resumed again.
Zambian official Janny Sikazwe blew for the end of the Group F game in Limbe to signal that Mali had beaten the 2004 continental champions 1-0 thanks to Ibrahima Kone’s second-half penalty.
Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba was giving his post-match victory press conference when an official entered the room under the stand to indicate that the game would restart.
A Confederation of African Football official told AFP that the match needed to be played to a conclusion, with three minutes remaining, but the Tunisian team did not re-emerge and the referee brought the game to a definitive end when Mali kicked off again.
Coach of Tunisia, Mondher Kebaier, lamented that “The referee blew the whistle at the 85 minute mark at the 89 minute mark, it’s lunar. He deprived us of concentration.
“We did not want to resume because the players had already taken their baths, deconcentrated and demoralized in the face of this gruesome situation.”
