Afcon 2021: Tunisia explain why they refused to continue Mali game

Tunisia head coach Mondher Kebaier has explained why his players did not want to resume their Africa Cup of Nations Group F encounter in Limbe on Wednesday after the game ended prematurely.

Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe twice ended the tie before the regular minutes elapsed. In the first instance, the official blew the whistle in the 85th minute before the game resumed after a small pause and then ended it in the 89th minute without even playing an additional minute.

Tunisia, who were trailing 1-0 protested, but Sikazwe did not change his mind.

“The referee blew the whistle at the 85th-minute mark and at the 89th-minute mark, it’s lunar, ” Kebaier said in his post-match reaction, as reported by CafOnline.

“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.”

While the Carthage Eagles gave reasons as to why they would not agree to resume the game, Mali’s Mohamed Magassouba praised his players’ approach to the game against the former Afcon champions.

“We wanted to resume playing the remaining minutes, but Tunisia did not want to resume, the referee then whistled the end of the game,” said the coach.

“We demystified the match, we managed with rationality the occupation of the field, the transmissions. Of course, the ambition is to get the Cup, we say it with humility, wishful thinking.”