The series of organizational and officiating scandals during the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon continues with a new crisis during the match between Mali and Equatorial Guinea in the Round of 16. The Equatorial Guinea national team succeeded in claiming the last spot in the quarter-finals after winning against Mali in a penalty shootout with a score of (6-5) in a match held yesterday at the "Limbe Stadium."
According to the "Kooora" website, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system was disabled at Limbe Stadium, despite referee Bakary Gassama’s appearances using his assistants in the VAR room through communication devices on several occasions. It was reported that the referee claimed each time he was going to consult VAR, but he had no communication with anyone in the assistant room, preventing him from announcing several errors that could have changed the match's scenario.
The match witnessed several controversial officiating incidents, the most notable being the failure to send off Equatorial Guinea player, Bikoro, after he tackled Kamara with excessive force. Moreover, Bakary Gassama did not award a penalty in the final minutes in favor of the Mali national team after a clear handball inside the box by Equatorial Guinea defender, Saul Koko.
