VAR to rescue! AFCON referee misses 'STONEWALL' penalty & books Pepe for DIVING

VAR came to the referee and Ivory Coast's rescue during their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash with Senegal after the man in the middle originally failed to award the hosts a 'stonewall' penalty.

Senegal went ahead inside four minutes through Habib Diallo, but Ivory Coast pushed for an equaliser in the second half and had a great chance when former Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe was played through on goal in the 83rd minute.

Pepe got there just before Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and appeared to be wiped out by the ex-Chelsea shot-stopper, but the referee waved away Ivory Coast's appeals for a penalty and even booked Pepe for diving.

It looked an extremely harsh call on Pepe, and replays immediately showed the referee had got it badly wrong.

Thankfully, VAR was on hand to tell the official to go and check his pitchside monitor, and the penalty was finally awarded.

Following a lengthy delay, Franck Kessie stepped up with four minutes to go to convert the penalty and take the game to extra time.

But fans were stunned that the penalty was not originally given, and took to social media to slam his huge mistake.

'If not for VAR, that ref wouldn’t have given that STONEWALL penalty. Let that sink in, one fan wrote on X.

'The most blatant penalty I have ever seen. Thank goodness for VAR,' another added.

Meanwhile, one supporter was bemused that the referee needed so long to correct his initial error.

'How does this referee need so many looks for this stonewall penalty?' they asked.

There was also some sympathy for Pepe after he was deemed to have dived, only for replays to confirm that there was definite contact with Mendy.

'Pepe just been booked for diving for the clearest penalty you’ll ever see at AFCON. Amazing,' a fan posted on X.