Incredible scenes at AFCON as ref blows up five minutes early, gets VAR calls wrong, gets escorted from the pitch

 

The Africa Cup of Nations tournament descended into farce on Wednesday afternoon, thanks to an incredibly inefficient performance from the referee in the Group F match between Tunisia and Mali.

Zambian man-in-the-middle, Janny Sikazwe, had officiated reasonably okay until the match was in its final stages, and then all hell broke loose.

 

As ESPN journalist, Dale Johnson, noted on his Twitter account, a penalty was given (that was missed) after a VAR review and then Sikazwe blew for full time with only 85 minutes on the clock.

 

Dale Johnson

@DaleJohnsonESPN

 

Tunisia v Mali - VAR review for a penalty, given (pen missed) - Ref blows for full-time on 85 minutes - Play does restart - Player sent off - VAR tells the ref it's not a red - Ref rejects the red review (it was never a red card) - Ref blows for full time on 89.40 Chaos!

 

If that weren’t bad enough, play was eventually restarted and the official sent off a player whom VAR then advised shouldn’t have seen a red card.

 

After rejecting the VAR review for the sending off, he then blew again for full-time on 89 minutes and 40 seconds.

 

The farcical nature of Sikazwe’s officiating still hadn’t run its course. Video shows the officials after the game, perhaps realising the mistake, deciding what to do and then deciding that the final few minutes.

 

With supporters filing back into the stadium, Tunisia seemingly refused to come out and complete the game, so it was officially ended in their absence.

Watch the video below.