In a gripping climax to a thrilling Afcon quarter-final, tempers flared as Mali players swarmed the referee, demanding more time to be played after Ivory Coast’s Oumar Diakite scored a sensational winner in the 122nd minute.
Referee Adel Elsaid had to physically guide the furious Mali players away, as chaos erupted on the pitch. The match had been nothing short of extraordinary, with both teams having a player sent off and Ivory Coast equalizing in the dying seconds of normal time to take the game into extra time.
Amidst heated exchanges, Mali skipper Hamari Traore was at the forefront, seemingly making contact with Elsaid. In response, the referee pushed the full-back away and handed him a straight red card, further fueling the tension on the field.
The altercation overshadowed yet another remarkable Afcon escape for Ivory Coast. Despite losing Odilon Kossounou to a red card before half-time, they managed to equalize and secure the victory through Diakite’s late heroics.
The match’s intensity reached its boiling point when Diakite was sent off for removing his shirt during the wild Ivory Coast celebrations. However, the most explosive moment came seconds later when Mali players went too far with their protests at the abrupt final whistle.
The images from the match capture the shocking scenes that unfolded on the pitch, with the referee struggling to regain control amidst a sea of angry players. It serves as a reminder of the passion and intensity that football can evoke, even at the highest level of competition.
To read the full article with images, visit F5mag.com.