If you thought Graham Poll dishing out three yellow cards to the same player at the 2006 World Cup was bad, wait till you get a load of this!
Zambian official Janny Sikazwe had the nightmare of refereeing performances in Tunisia’s defeat to Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations, awarding two controversial penalties, harshly sending a player off and ending the match before the 90 minutes were up – twice.
That moment when you realise you’ve made a mistake, or five, on one of the biggest stages
The Group F match was largely uneventful until the early stages of the second half when Mali were awarded a penalty.
Ibrahima Kone slotted in what proved to be the decisive goal but Tunisia can feel hard done by with the ball Ellyes Skhiri having little manoeuvre to get his hand out of the way of a fast shot.
Mali won the match but that’s not the half of it!AFP
Tunisia did get the rub of the green when Sikazwe gave them a penalty for another controversial handball, however, Wahbi Khazri’s effort was saved.
Sikazwe then appeared to end the match on 86 minutes before being told by his assistants that there was still time to play.
A minute later he sent off El Bilal Toure in what appeared to be yet another harsh decision.
And then a few seconds before the 90 minutes was up, Sikazwe blew for full time, sparking furious protests from the Tunisian bench.
The referee blows for full time with still 16 seconds of the 90 remainingsky sports 
The Tunisian players and coaches were understandably raging 
The fourth official was filmed pushing a member of the Tunisian camp in the backsky sports 
The 90 minutes still weren’t up by the time Tunisia boss Mondher Kebaier made his way on the pitchsky sports 
The referee didn’t appear interested in what time Kebaier made itsky sports 
The referee didn’t appear interested in what time Kebaier made itsky sports 
But his mistakes soon dawned on himsky sports 
Sikazwe had to be escorted off the pitch by security
In an even more shocking twist of fate, it was revealed the match was to be restarted to play out the final few minutes. However, Tunisia players are understood to have refused to do this.
SCENES!!
The referee blows the whistle before the 90 minutes are up…
VAR checks, two penalties and a red card… no stoppage time?!
It ends Tunisia 0-1 Mali
pic.twitter.com/tPoiw7ZNGX
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 12, 2022
In even more shocking twist of fate, it was revealed the match was to be restarted to play out the final few minutes.
However, Mali’s win was eventually awarded as the Tunisia players are understood to have refused to do this.
We certainly haven’t heard the last of this.
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