EQUATORIAL GUINEA star Federico Bikoro was sent off for a shocking “kung-fu” kick into the ribs of Guinea’s Mohamed Bayo during their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
The two sides were locked in a stalemate when the horrific incident occurred 10 minutes into the second half.
Federico Bikoro was sent off for this shocking challenge on Mohamed BayoX
Equatorial Guinea’s Bikoro was dismissed before his country were knocked outX
APGuinea’s players were furious with the shocking challenge[/caption]
Bikoro, 27, got to the ball ahead of Bayo, 25, and cleared it away in what should have been an innocuous race for possession.
But the Equatorial Guinea man followed through with horrific consequences as he sunk his studs into the side of his opponent’s chest.
Bayo went down in a heap as he clutched his injured body, with both sets of players surrounding the referee.
And the man in charge, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, was left with little option but to send off Bikoro.
One of the commentators described it as a “kung-fu follow-through”, before it was jokingly said that “Bruce Lee might have been proud of that one”.
This forced Equatorial Guinea to play more than 30 minutes with a numerical disadvantage… and it ultimately proved costly.
But not before the 10 men were awarded a penalty following a VAR check after Sekou Sylla caught Iban Salvador.
Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue stepped up to take the spot kick but could only strike the post.
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And it was Bayo, the victim of the disgusting challenge, that then went on to settle the game in stoppage time.
The Guinea striker headed home at the front post in the 98th minute to clinch a dramatic victory for his country.
It is the first time since 2015 that Guinea have reached the Afcon quarter-finals.
They will play the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday after they stunned Egypt by knocking them out on penalties.
Guinea have not made it to the last four of the tournament since they were beaten in the final by Morocco back in 1976.