Africa Cup of CHAOS: Referee chased off the pitch by Tunisian players after defeat

 

Africa Cup of Nations hosts Equatorial Guinea made it through to the semi-finals for the first time in their history but the game ended in carnage in Bata on Saturday night.

The Equato-Guineans beat Tunisia thanks in part to a controversial stoppage-time penalty, which took the game to extra-time.

Referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn was then chased from the pitch by the Tunisian players after Javier Balboa had won the game for the home side, with one player aiming a kick at the official.

Eventually riot police had to intervene to usher the hapless ref down the tunnel.
As the teams left the field missiles were thrown from the crowd at the visiting players, one of whom picked up a bottle and hurled it back into the crowd.
It had been a bad-tempered game from the start, with Tunisia’s play violent and Seechurn completely unable to manage the occasion.
But for a game lacking in any flow or quality, it more than made up for it with late drama and a spine-tingling atmosphere.
With seconds of stoppage time remaining and the hosts trailing 1-0, Ivan Bolado went down under a seemingly innocuous challenge in the box. But, inexplicably, a penalty was awarded to take the game to the additional half hour.