Khaberni - Chadian referee Mohamed El Haji is facing a crisis in the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations for football 2025, currently being held in Morocco, due to a mistake he made during one of the matches he officiated.
Referee Mohamed El Haji officiated the match between Mali and Comoros as part of the third round of Group A in the group stage.
The match, which took place at the Mohammed V Stadium, ended in a goalless draw, and witnessed the sending-off of Mali's midfielder, Amadou Haidara, in the 88th minute.
The management of the Mali national team decided to file an appeal against the red card received by Haidara.
"Al Sharq Al Awsat" newspaper quoted a source inside the Mali team delegation stating that Chadian referee Mohamed El Haji admitted during a technical meeting with the referees' committee that the decision to send off Haidara was a grave error.
The newspaper highlighted that El Haji's acknowledgement and apology for the mistake during the meeting opens up the possibility of reviewing the decision, and enabling the technical staff of the Mali team to field the player in the next match.
Haidara was sent off after a challenge that the referee deemed a foul against a Comoros player, a moment that sparked widespread controversy among fans and analysts at the time, especially since it occurred in the crucial minutes of the match.
All eyes are now on the organizing committee's decision regarding the possibility of overturning the red card, which would allow Haidara the chance to participate with the Mali team in the upcoming match against Tunisia in the Round of 16 scheduled for next Saturday.
The technical staff of the Mali national team hopes that the cancellation decision will contribute to strengthening the team before the crucial encounter against Tunisia in the knockout round of the tournament.
