NAfter the referee scandal at the Africa Cup in the preliminary round match against Mali (0: 1), the protest of fellow favorites Tunisia was rejected. “After examining the Tunisian protest and the report of the game management, the organizing committee has decided to reject the protest of the Tunisian team and to score the game 1-0 for Mali,” said the African continental football federation CAF.
The Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe ended the game in Group F twice too early. First he whistled in the 86th minute when the score was 1-0 for Mali, noticed his mistake after protests by the Tunisian side, apologized and let go with a ball. The final whistle of the match in Limbe, Cameroon came after 89:45 minutes and thus at least 15 seconds too early. The referee team had to leave the field under the protection of security guards.
Cameroon in the last sixteen
About half an hour later, with the press conference already in full swing, the game appeared to be resumed. The Malians with Bundesliga professionals Amadou Haidara from RB Leipzig and Diadie Samassekou (TSG Hoffenheim) returned to the field to play the last seconds of regular time and possible stoppage time. The Tunisians with Ellyes Skhiri from Cologne stayed in the dressing room – and now have to go into the further tournament weeks with the burden of a possibly avoidable defeat.
Host Cameroon has meanwhile become the first team to reach the eighth finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The team led by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting from Munich prevailed against Ethiopia 4: 1 (1: 1) at the start of the second match day of the preliminary round after an early deficit and celebrated their second victory. Karl Toko Ekambi (8th / 67th) and Vincent Aboubakar (53rd / 55th), who had already scored twice in the opening game, scored two goals each for a sovereign victory for the Cameroonians. Striker Dawa Hotessa (4th) initially surprisingly brought the outsider into the lead.
The game was only the second in which more than one goal was scored. After Cameroon’s 2-1 victory in the opening game against Burkina Faso, the tournament had two zero numbers and nine times a 1-0.
On Thursday evening there was only one goal when Burkina Faso scored their first victory with a 1-0 (1-0) against the Cape Verde Islands. Hassane gang scored in the 39th minute. Both teams are now tied behind Cameroon with three points. The 33rd Africa Cup runs until February 6th.
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