Eliminated Mali file protest over VAR penalty overturn

In Yaounde

Mali have filed an official protest over a decision by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) that overturned a penalty awarded them in their round of 16 fixture against Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday.

Gambian referee, Bakary Gassama had at the 40th minute awarded Mali a penalty when Equatorial Guinea player, Josete Miranda knocked down Malian forward Moussa Doumbia, but the match official was encouraged to reconsider his decision which he overturned after reviewing the action on video.

After a goalless draw in extra-time, Equatorial Guinea defeated Mali 6-5 in penalty shoot-out to reach the quarter-finals.

In a protest letter written to CAF on Thursday, the Malian Football Federation said they had conceded the defeat and congratulated Equatorial Guinea for qualifying for the quarters, but were officially protesting the VAR decision. 

The letter signed by deputy Secretary General of the federation, Ibrahim Bathily, said VAR overturned the penalty but was mute on a visible handball by an Equato-guinean player in the box.

“As the competition continues, it is important that referees and VARs should be more vigilant on such cases,” the Malian Football Federation said in the letter.

The protest has once again brought to the fore controversies surrounding the use of the new technology which has greatly influenced outcomes of some matches at the competition. 

So far, 13 red cards have been shown at the competition, with most coming after VAR review which affected players and team officials have protested, even if these have not been done in writing like the case of Mali.

During the first five of the eight round of 16 games, seven red cards were brandished including two red cards issued to send off two Cape Verde players in their round of 16 clash against Senegal.

Though visibly in a state of discomfort following a head on collision with Sadio Mane, Cape Verde goalkeeper, Vozinha was shown a red card and sent off for dangerous play after VAR review. Captain Patrick Andrade had earlier been shown a red card following a similar review.

Earlier on Sunday, a VAR review saw Nigeria’s forward Alexander Iwobi sent off the green turf with a red card in their round 16 fixture against Tunisia in Garoua. Some Nigerians commenting on social media blamed the Super Eagles’ subsequent defeat to the red card.

Decisions from VAR reviews and the effects on teams at the 33rd edition of Afcon has been causing a buzz on social media since the competition entered into the knock-out stages.

Fans castigated the referee when Cape Verde were reduced to nine men in their 0-2 defeat to Senegal at the Bafoussam Omnisport stadium in Kouekong in the West region of the country on Tuesday.

On Monday, former Ghanaian star, Michael Essien in a tweet, wondered if the tournament was getting soft—referring to the many red cards brandished since the start of the play-offs.

“Some of these red card decisions in Afcon are shocking,” said Essien.

The 13 red cards issue so far at Afcon 2021 are four times more than those brandished in four previous editions combined, according to reports.