On Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 1:46:58 PM UTC-5, Binder Dundat wrote:
> On Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 1:20:20 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:
> > On Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 4:00:15 PM UTC, Binder Dundat wrote:
> > > I seem to recall AFCON's being low scoring, I suppose that means that it is an evenly matched cup.
> > >
> > > So not only have there been a lot of 1-0's, most of those goals came from PKs. Nigeria won 1-0 yesterday and more or less cancelled Salah and Egypt from any kind of goal scoring threat in front of a huge (by AFCON standards) crowd, the crowd seemed to mostly be Nigerians and stayed around to watch the next game, without really cheering for either team, but making some noise. Though I forget much of that game, I do recall the worst penalty kick attempt ever by Pele.
> > >
> > > The ref was the main attraction in today's game (Tunisia 0 - 1 Mali), blowing at the 85 min for >time, before being told games are 90 mins long. Then blowing at the 89 min for time, even >though there were subs and stoppages all over the place. Missed penalties and red cards in >this one as well.
> > The ref finishing the game early, particularly given his attempt to do the same five minutes earlier, was simultaneously one of the funniest and unjust things I’ve seen on a football pitch. Honestly don’t recall ever having seen that in a match before.
> I couldnt tell if the ref actually new he had screwed up, all the more worse considering they even had a drinks break due to the high heat, so at least 4-5 mins should have been added. But yeah, Tunisians were furious and he had to get a security escort off the pitch.
> >
> > That calamity was then followed by the Mauritanian anthem failing repeatedly, with their players eventually being told they might want to just sing the anthem without music.
> Ah, that is why it was delayed 45 mins, they had to learn to play the anthem.
> >
> > This AFCON is already the best tournament ever!
And it only gets better
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59876378
Mali and Tunisia's Africa Cup of Nations game finished in chaos after the referee first signalled for full-time on 85 minutes, then ended the match when the clock showed 89 minutes and 47 seconds.
Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier and his technical staff raced on to the field to confront referee Janny Sikazwe after his final whistle consigned them to a 1-0 defeat in Group F.
Twenty minutes later, after Mali manager Mohamed Magassouba's post-match press conference had started, tournament organisers ordered the game to be played to a conclusion.
However, in more farcical scenes, Tunisia's players did not return to the field and Mali were declared winners.
Kebaier called the referee's actions "inexplicable", adding: "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."
Confusion reigns in Limbe
At the end of an action-packed second half, which saw two stoppages for video assistant referee checks as well as a drinks break and several substitutions, Sikazwe became the centre of attention.
The Zambian - who refereed two group-stage games at the 2018 World Cup in Russia - had signalled for full-time with five minutes remaining, before checking his timings and continuing the game.
Then he ended the match 23 seconds before the 90th minute mark - and without adding on any additional time for stoppages.
Kebaier and his staff angrily confronted Sikazwe and his assistants on the pitch, pointing to their watches and remonstrating about the lack of added time.
Mondher Kebaier (centre) remonstrates with officials
Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier (centre) took his protests to an assistant after Sikazwe ignored his complaints
The officials were given an escort off the pitch by stadium security as the Malians celebrated in front of their fans, but the controversy did not end there.
More than 20 minutes later, the Malian side ventured back on to the field for the game to restart, with fourth official Helder Martins Rodrigues de Carvalho set to take charge instead of Sikazwe.
After a short time on the pitch he was told to bring the players off again by officials as the North Africans had failed to emerge, and Mali were awarded the victory.
"It is a difficult situation to deal with. The referee also blew with five minutes left in the first half and then he blew after 89 minutes, denying us practically seven or eight minutes of added time," added Kebaier, whose team had an extra man at the end after Mali's El Bilal Toure was sent off.
"His decision is inexplicable. I can't understand how he made his decision and we will see what happens now."
The Confederation of African Football (Caf), organisers of the tournament, will have questions to answer following a farcical ending and Tunisian protests.
"We were told to go back on the pitch because the game was not finished," said Magassouba, who was giving his post-match news conference when an official entered the room to announce the game would restart with three minutes left to play.
"Unfortunately the opposition team did not want to come back out and the final whistle was blown."