Equatorial Guinea reached the semi-finals of the 2015 African Cup of Nations amid controversy in Bata on Saturday night.
The host nation were trailing 1-0 to Tunisia deep into injury-time when referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn of Mauritius awarded them a penalty after Ivan Bolado tumbled in the box under the slightest of challenges.
The free-kick was perfect but the penalty I cannot accept
Javier Balboa converted to take the game into extra-time.
It had already been a bad-tempered affair, not assisted by Tunisia’s rotational fouling [41 in all] and time-wasting.
It meant they failed to capitalise on the 70th minute lead given to them by Ahmed Akaichi’s neat finish.
There could be no criticism of the winner, however.
Balboa curled in a 25-yard free-kick and EG held on for the final 18 minutes of extra-time as the game degenerated.
At the final whistle, the Tunisian bench and substitutes surrounded the referee who had to be ushered from the pitch by armed security as EG fans began wild celebrations.
EG are ranked 118 in the Fifa rankings, 94 places below Tunisia.
Tunisia manager Georges Leekens was close to tears after the game.
“In 45 years in football, I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said. “It’s a shame for the game. The free-kick was perfect but the penalty I cannot accept.”
But EG manager Esteban Becker defended the referee. “It was a normal penalty – in the last minute as in any other minute. Refereeing decisions are part of the game.”
