Africa Cup of Nations chiefs have launched an investigation into why referee Janny Sikazwe blew for full-time twice before 90 minutes was up in Tunisia's match against Mali.

Tunisia head coach Mondher Kebaier described Sikazwe's officiating of Wednesday's game as "inexplicable".

Mali were leading the Group F match 1-0 through a Ibrahima Kone penalty when the Zambian official blew for full-time in the 85th minute.

Kebaier realised his error and play resumed for another four minutes, during which time Mali forward El Bilal Toure was dismissed, before blowing again with 13 seconds of the 90 minutes to go.

That was despite there being a number of stoppages in the second half, including a couple of lengthy VAR checks for Kone's penalty and one that Wahbi Khazri missed for Tunisia.

Tunisia officials stormed onto the field to protest and later refused to send their team back to the field when it was decided to play on for the final stages.

Now the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed it is probing the circumstances of the farcical and controversial scenes, which grabbed global attention.

It has been reported that Sikazwe was taken to hospital after the game, with the effects of heatstroke and dehydration having caused him to lose focus.

"In relation to the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations match between Tunisia and Mali played in Limbe on 12 January 2022, CAF is gathering all the necessary reports from the officials at the match," a CAF statement read.

"CAF is forwarding these documents to the competent bodies of CAF. At this stage, CAF is not in a position to make further comment until the responsible bodies indicate the way forward."

Gabon coach Patrice Neveu has tested positive for COVID-19 and missed training on Thursday as captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returned from isolation with a rallying call.

Neveu's team started their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-0 win over Comoros on Monday, but the coach appears certain to be absent for their second game on Friday when Ghana provide the opposition.

The Gabonese Football Federation confirmed Neveu's positive test result and stated training was led by assistant coach Anicet Yala, who himself tested positive on arrival in Cameroon last week.

Arsenal striker Aubameyang and Monaco midfielder Mario Lemina also returned positive results before the tournament began, but both are back on the training pitch and could be involved against Ghana.

Aubameyang said he had been able to train on an exercise bike and treadmill in his hotel room to keep up a basic level of fitness.

"Staying locked up is not easy," he said. "So we're happy to be back in training and in the squad."

Aubameyang contended it was too early to feel in any way serene about Gabon's progress in the competition and insisted he and his team-mates must stay focused as Ghana await them.

"I won't say serene, but it certainly feels good to start the competition with a victory," said Aubameyang, quoted on the Gabon team website. "After that, you shouldn't think that you won the [Cup of Nations] either.

"We are going to play a very tough opponent who want to win the game, so we will have to be serious as we were in the first game and I know that we will have our chances.

"I was already very happy that the guys did the job in the first game, we are all proud of them. Now it's up to me to level up and bring everything I can to the group."

The Cup of Nations was expected to provide welcome respite for Aubameyang after strife at club level.

His Arsenal future has become clouded by uncertainty after he was stripped of the club captaincy and dropped by manager Mikel Arteta following a disciplinary breach.

Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso has urged Dusan Vlahovic to recognise how the club gave him his big break.

A host of wealthy European clubs are keeping a close eye on the 21-year-old striker, who is going from strength to strength with the Viola.

Arsenal and Atletico Madrid have been among the teams most recently linked, with Tottenham and Juventus also potentially keen on a deal.

Vlahovic joined Fiorentina as a teenager from Belgrade giants Partizan, making his Serie A debut in the 2018-19 season.

He has 18 club goals this season, netting on average once every 104.17 minutes. Only four strikers from Europe's top five leagues have scored more in 2021-22: Robert Lewandowski (31), Mohamed Salah, Karim Benzema (both 23) and Erling Haaland (19).

Commisso said in an interview with the Financial Times: "He developed here. And he should give recognition, whatever happens, to the club that got him to where he is."

Vlahovic is massively outperforming his expected goals (xG) total of 12.61, and that points to sharp finishing from the Serbian. Indeed, he has tucked away 80 per cent (12 of 15) of the opportunities defined by Opta as big chances.

That is the best big-chance conversion rate among all forwards with 10 or more goals in the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga or Ligue 1 this season.

Fiorentina chief Commisso gave his interview to the newspaper in November, with the interview published on Thursday.

According to the FT, he said Fiorentina were "under active considerations as to what to do" about Vlahovic.

Fiorentina have a high-value player on their hands, but Vlahovic's contract runs only until the end of next season, when he could walk away from Florence on a free transfer.

He has turned down big-money offers to extend his deal, with Commisso saying in October that Fiorentina would have been willing to make him the best-paid player in the club's history.

Commisso, an Italian American businessman and billionaire, acquired Fiorentina in June 2019 and admits he has been amazed by the goings-on within football.

"The more I live here, with this crazy sport, the more I realise how screwed up it is," he said.

The 72-year-old also said he has poured money into Fiorentina and is not banking on a return.

"I'm not doing it for the money," he added. "Why do I need another 100 million, you follow me? I'm gonna lose money."

Mikel Arteta may be confident that his side can still recruit any player in the world, but Arsenal may have to wait if they are to sign Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina.

The in-demand Serbia international is the joint-fourth highest scorer in Europe's top five leagues this term and is wanted by an array of clubs across the continent.

While a January move has been touted, however, Fiorentina appear to be playing hardball when it comes to the future of the 21-year-old striker.

TOP STORY – FIORENTINA DEMANDS PREVENTING ARSENAL'S VLAHOVIC PURSUIT

Arsenal are reportedly willing to match Fiorentina's €75million (£62.62m) asking price for Vlahovic, which would make him the second-most expensive player in their history.

However, The Independent reports that the Serie A side want the majority of that money paid upfront, whereas Arsenal intend to spread the cost over the next four years.

The Gunners may therefore have to wait until the end of the campaign, at which point Vlahovic will have a year to run on his contract, before renegotiating with Fiorentina.

ROUND-UP

– It is shaping up to be a busy conclusion to the January window for Arsenal as Goal reports that the Premier League side have made contact with Juventus over a loan move for midfielder Arthur Melo, while Leicester City's Youri Tielemans is another potential target.

– L'Equipe claims that Paul Pogba remains a target for Paris Saint-Germain as he nears the end of his Manchester United contract. The midfielder has not featured since November due to injury and is not expected to return until next month.

– According to The Mail, Man Utd are eyeing a move for Brighton and Hove Albion's Tariq Lamptey as an upgrade on Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot. Interim boss Ralf Rangnick is said to be a big fan of the right-sided player's versatility.

– Sticking with Rangnick and United, the German coach has put Ajax boss Erik ten Hag's name forward as the best option to replace him when his interim spell at Old Trafford ends in June. That is according to Le Parisien, with the French outlet also suggesting PSG's Mauricio Pochettino still remains in the frame.

– Ambitious Newcastle United have already brought in Kieran Trippier this month and more players look set to follow. Tuttomercato suggests that Roma's Chris Smalling could be lured to St James' Park as the Magpies desperately attempt to strengthen at centre-back.

– Freiburg's Nico Schlotterbeck is attracting plenty of interest this month, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid among those being linked. Bayern appear to be leading that particular race if reports from Spain are anything to go by, with the defender supposedly keen to stay in the Bundesliga.

Thomas Tuchel remains confident Antonio Rudiger will sign a new contract at Chelsea.

The Germany international's deal expires at the end of the season, meaning he is already eligible to begin discussions with foreign clubs over a free transfer.

Rudiger has been strongly linked with numerous clubs, with Real Madrid seemingly chief among them.

The 28-year-old joined Chelsea from Roma in 2017, and while he has not always been first-choice having fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard, he has been a key figure for Tuchel.

All but four of his 19 Premier League appearances last season came after Tuchel's appointment in January, while he has started 20 out of a possible 21 matches in 2021-22.

Some fans are growing uneasy given Chelsea are cutting it fine to tie him down to a new deal, though Tuchel seems relaxed.

"Things are clear. Talks are going on and we are confident," Tuchel told reporters after Wednesday's EFL Cup semi-final second-leg win over Spurs.

"Nothing has changed. Everybody knows the situation, let's wait and see.

"We have things to offer and he is the player he is in a Chelsea shirt and a Chelsea environment. He knows that very well."

Rudiger was impressive against Spurs, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win that takes Chelsea through to the final with a 3-0 aggregate success.

The centre-back's three interceptions was not bettered by anyone else on the pitch, while he also had the most touches (109) and successful passes (94).

What made his effectiveness in possession even more impressive was the fact he attempted 36 passes in the opposition half (sixth-most on the pitch) and completed 97.2 per cent of them – among the players to attempt at least 10, only Jorginho (97.4 per cent) was more accurate.

He acknowledged this phase in his career is the best he has had.

"I am enjoying it," he told Sky Sports.

"I think you have to see it about chapters, and I have enjoyed this chapter, I have enjoyed it so far. It is the best time of my career."

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Michael Ricketts, has been ordered to pay $9m in a default judgment handed down by the Supreme Court.

The ruling, issued on Wednesday, found Ricketts to have acted with malice when he made comments, which amounted to a homophobic slur, against Sporting Central CEO Ainsley Lowe on local radio in 2016.

The JFF president did not contest the charging when the case was brought against him in May 2017 and has now found out the price tag on the judgment.  Ricketts has been ordered to pay general damages in the amount of $8m and aggregated damages of $1m.  In addition, Ricketts will have to issue a public apology via the same radio station the offense was made and issue an apology, approved by the claimant's attorneys, in a Jamaica Gleaner publication before January 22.

Ricketts' derogatory comment came after Lowe challenged him for the post of Clarendon FA president in 2016. Lowe claimed the election was run unconstitutionally and should have been declared null and void.

Inter players look set to be given a "prize" from club president Steven Zhang after their dramatic 2-1 Supercoppa Italiana success over Juventus, according to coach Simone Inzaghi.

The Nerazzurri lifted the first piece of silverware of the Italian season late in extra-time, with Alexis Sanchez netting the decisive goal.

Weston McKennie had previously given Juve the lead, before a Lautaro Martinez penalty tied it up.

The two teams would remain level throughout the second half and for much of the additional 30 minutes.

That was until an error from Alex Sandro allowed Matteo Darmian to nudge the ball to Sanchez, who prodded home from close range with the last kick of the game to spark joyous celebrations.

It ensured Inzaghi became the first coach to beat Juventus in three finals (since 1929-30), as he continued his 100 per cent success rate in the Supercoppa.

Inzaghi spoke briefly after the game before sending his assistant to the news conference on account of losing his voice, revealing what president Zhang had told the players afterwards.

"He [Zhang] was very happy," Inzaghi told Mediaset. "He brought the team together and complimented us.

"The boys responded, they wanted a prize and I think the president will grant it."

While Inter will hope to add more significant titles to their collection later in the season, namely the Scudetto, Zhang suggested this success – coupled with their place at the top of the Serie A table – shows their hard work is paying off.

He told Inter TV: "This is a really special moment for us; we're delighted. The team played great, we're also top of the league, and this trophy is the fruits of the labour of both the coach and the players.

"I'm really happy with the result. This trophy win in what's a difficult time in football spurs us on. All of this is down to all the hard work we've put in together over these last six years.

"I'd like to dedicate this win to all of the Inter fans around the world and everyone who works for the club. They're the ones who have carried this project forward."

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was gutted by his side's dramatic late defeat to Inter in Wednesday's Supercoppa Italiana, suggesting it was evidence of the "devil" inventing football.

Inter lifted the first piece of silverware of the Italian season thanks to a dramatic 2-1 win, secured with the final kick of the game at the end of extra time.

Weston McKennie had previously given Juve the lead, before a Lautaro Martinez penalty tied it up.

The two teams would remain level throughout the second half and for much of the additional 30 minutes.

That was until an error from Alex Sandro allowed Matteo Darmian to nudge the ball to Alexis Sanchez, who prodded home from close range to spark joyous celebrations.

It was Juve's 10th successive appearance in the Supercoppa, which pits the Serie A and Coppa Italia winners from the previous season against each other, but they were unable to claim the trophy.

While Inter's celebrations showed what the success meant to them, Allegri was philosophical yet frustrated by the last-gasp nature of the Nerazzurri's win.

"This was a real game tonight," he is quoted as saying by Sky Sport Italia. "It was a good test for us to see where we're at.

"They boys played a really good game, unfortunately football seems to have been invented by the devil, and five seconds from the end we committed an error.

"We played against the strongest team in Serie A, we had several chances and conceded few. We could have avoided the two goals and done better at the beginning, in the first 10 minutes, when they had the upper hand, but then the team played well technically.

"It is a burning defeat – losing five seconds from the end and seeing the others celebrate hurts. I have nothing to blame,

"Now, awareness and anger must enter us to continue well in the league, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.

"We have to look on the bright side: the kids are physically better and growing. Tonight did not go well, but now let's think about Serie A."

Garvey Maceo and Mannings will contest the final of the 2022 ISSA daCosta Cup after dramatic semifinal wins at the STETHS Sports Complex.

In the doubleheader, Garvey Maceo stunned a more heavily favoured Clarendon College 3-2, while Mannings battled to a hard-fought penalty shootout win against highflying Dinthill.

In the opening match, Mannings seemed well on the way to a win in regular time after Jahmaleek Porter's 55th-minute header remained buttressed by a stubborn defense line with less than 10 minutes remaining.

In the 83^rd minute, however, Shamair Hutchinson pulled the teams level after firing wide of Mannings goalkeeper Ashwani Campbell, who had a stubborn display between the sticks all game.

Mikhail Romans who replaced Campbell heading into the penalty shootout came up with heroics of his own in a 4-2 shootout win, after stopping the shot of Hutchinson, to push Mannings to their first-ever final.

In the second match, Clarendon College proved to be their own worst enemy early on, after a defensive mix-up gifted Gregory Cousins with an open net one minute into first-half stoppage time.  The underdogs doubled their lead soon after the resumption after Cleo Clarke slammed a low fierce shot into the net in the 46^th minute.

Jaheim Rose gave Clarendon College a lifeline in the 51^st minute with a goal from the penalty spot, but Clarke scored again in the 80^th to put the game out of reach.  Damion Abrahams corner went straight into the with five minutes left to give the defending champions faint hope but the goal proved to be a mere consolation.

Alexis Sanchez struck a last-gasp extra-time winner as Inter defeated Juventus 2-1 to claim the Supercoppa Italiana in the most dramatic fashion.

The annual clash between the winners of the previous season's Serie A and Coppa Italia appeared to be heading for a penalty shootout at San Siro.

Lautaro Martinez's spot-kick had earlier cancelled out a Weston McKennie header for Juventus, who were making their 10th successive appearance in the Supercoppa.

However, there was to be one late twist as substitute Sanchez controlled on his chest, before sliding past Mattia Perin with 121 minutes on the clock to snatch victory for the Nerazzurri.

Antonio Rudiger scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea beat London rivals Tottenham 1-0 to seal their place in the EFL Cup final.

Thomas Tuchel's side put themselves well on their way to Wembley by winning the first leg of the semi-final 2-0 and they finished off the job at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday.

Rudiger's first-half header gave them a three-goal cushion and there was no way back for Spurs, who endured another frustrating evening as referee Andre Marriner overturned two penalty decisions he wrongly awarded to Antonio Conte's side, while VAR also ruled out what would have been Harry Kane's 250th goal in club football.

Chelsea will go in search of a second trophy under Tuchel when they face either Arsenal or Liverpool in the final on February 27. 

Romelu Lukaku came close to increasing the European champions' advantage when he shrugged off Ben Davies, but Pierluigi Gollini spread himself to keep out the striker's left-foot drive.

Gollini was at fault for the opening goal 17 minutes in, though, failing to deal with a Mason Mount corner and the powerful Rudiger rose highest to head home his second goal at Tottenham this season.

Spurs hopes of pulling one back were dashed when the VAR told Marriner to change his decision after he had awarded a penalty for a foul on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but Rudiger had made contact outside the box.

Marriner got it wrong again when he pointed to the spot early in the second half, the official discovering on the pitchside monitor that Kepa Arrizabalaga had made contact with the ball when he came out to deny Lucas Moura.

There was yet more frustration for Tottenham when Kane lashed home, but the England captain had strayed offside.

Play was paused late on due to a medical emergency in the crowd but, upon its resumption, Chelsea cruised through added time untroubled to take their place in the final.

What does it mean? Blues hunting more silverware as Spurs' wait goes on

That is now 11 matches without defeat for Chelsea and Tuchel is the eighth different boss to lead an English team to the final of both major domestic competitions, and the European Cup/Champions League. Bob Paisley, Brian Clough, Alex Ferguson, Rafael Benitez, Arsene Wenger, Avram Grant and Pep Guardiola are the others to achieve that feat.

Tottenham's 14-year wait for a trophy goes on, with the FA Cup representing their only hope of finally getting their hands on some silverware this season. Chelsea, meanwhile, have progressed from all 14 two-legged ties in cup competitions after winning the first tie.

Transfer talk no issue for Rudiger 

Rudiger's future has been the subject of speculation for months, with the Germany international only under contract until the end of the season.

The 28-year-old is reported to have held talks with other clubs, including Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, but his commitment can certainly not be called into question as he produced another commanding display. The defender has scored 10 times for Chelsea, but all of those goals have come at just three stadiums (Stamford Bridge, King Power Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium).

Gollini gamble backfires

Gollini made a good save to thwart Lukaku, one of two stops he made in the match, but the on-loan goalkeeper failed to command his area when Mount swung in a corner and he was punished by Rudiger.

Spurs fans may have been questioning why Hugo Lloris was watching on from the bench, but much of the damage had been done in the first leg.

What's next?

Chelsea face a huge Premier League clash away to leaders Manchester City on Saturday, while Spurs take on fierce rivals Arsenal at home on Sunday.

Federico Valverde scored in extra time as Real Madrid advanced to the Supercopa de Espana final with a 3-2 victory over Barcelona. 

Vinicius Junior gave Madrid a deserved lead shortly after the midway point of the first half in Riyadh, yet Luuk de Jong ensured the sides went in at the break level with a fortuitous equaliser. 

Karim Benzema restored Los Blancos' advantage in the 72nd minute, only for Ansu Fati to draw Xavi's men level once again with seven minutes left of normal time. 

Valverde clipped home eight minutes into extra time, however, to set up a final clash on Sunday against either Atletico Madrid or Athletic Bilbao, who do battle in the second semi-final on Thursday. 

Madrid's bright start was rewarded in the 25th minute when Vinicius raced beyond Ronald Araujo and fired past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen after Benzema had dispossessed Sergio Busquets on the halfway line.

Barca pulled level four minutes before the interval, Eder Militao's attempted clearance inside the six-yard area smashing against De Jong and spinning in off the inside of Thibaut Courtois' right-hand post.

Moments after crashing an effort against the upright, Benzema slotted home from close range after Vinicius' cross had been diverted into his path by Ter Stegen. 

Substitute Fati, who was making his first appearance since November 6, sent the game to extra time, though, heading Jordi Alba's cross past Courtois from six yards.

Carlo Ancelotti's men sealed their spot in the final in the first half of extra time when Valverde slid home after a counter-attacking move that saw Barca desperately outnumbered. 

Nabil Fekir has signed a new deal with Real Betis, keeping him in Andalusia until 2026.

The France international has extended his stay with Los Verdiblancos, whom he joined from Lyon in July 2019.

During his two and a half years at the club, Fekir has been hugely influential in Betis' rise up the table, helping them climb to third in LaLiga this season under Manuel Pellegrini after a sixth-place finish last term.

The 28-year-old has scored 16 league goals since arriving – a tally only bettered during that time by Borja Iglesias (17) for Betis – while Sergio Canales (14) is the only player to register more than his 12 assists.

Fekir has also attempted the most dribbles for Betis with 353 – more than double his nearest challenger, Alex Moreno (173) – with Lionel Messi, Lucas Ocampos and Vinicius Junior the only players to better that in LaLiga since the start of the 2019-20 season.

Meanwhile, Messi (341) is the only player to have completed more dribbles than Fekir (223) in the Spanish top-flight during that time.

Max Gradel's fifth-minute stunner was enough to see Ivory Coast start their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea.

In just the second AFCON meeting between the two nations, experienced winger Gradel sent a thunderous first-time effort into the top-right corner to put the Elephants ahead in their opening encounter in Douala on Wednesday.

Yet despite facing a star-studded Ivory Coast side, Equatorial Guinea can consider themselves unfortunate not to have taken something against the two-time AFCON champions.

Indeed, Gradel's effort was the only attempt on target from Ivory Coast until substitute Nicolas Pepe forced a save from Manuel Sapunga in the 81st minute.

Emilio Nsue squandered Equatorial Guinea's best opportunity just after the hour-mark, drilling straight at Ivory Coast goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare when through one-on-one.

But the Elephants were not made to pay for their relatively blunt attacking, given the quality at their disposal, as they took the lead in Group E and ensured their run of avoiding defeat in AFCON openers continued, having last gone down in such a game in 1996.

Africa Cup of Nations hosts Cameroon are back in action as the second matches of the group stage get under way.

Thursday sees Group A take centre stage, with Cameroon facing Ethiopia and Cape Verde taking on Burkina Faso.

Cameroon, champions in 2017, of course have the aim of going all the way on home soil to claim their sixth AFCON title. A win, combined with victory for Cape Verde, would see both progress to the knockout stage with a game to spare.

Cameroon v Ethiopia (16:00 GMT)

Cameroon are ranked 50th in the world by FIFA, making them the seventh-best side in the competition, but tournament hosts always have that extra impetus to go all the way.

Captain Vincent Aboubakar scored both of Cameroon's goals in a 2-1 win over Burkina Faso in their opening match, and victory over Ethiopia – who the Indomitable Lions beat 3-2 in their only previous AFCON encounter in 1970 – will take them through.

Ethiopia are looking to bounce back from their 1-0 loss to Cape Verde. They are winless in their last nine AFCON matches (D3 L6), the longest current such run among teams in this year's competition.

Cameroon, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their previous seven group stage games (W3 D4), last losing in January 2015 (0-1 against Ivory Coast). The five-time champions are aiming to win their opening two games at an AFCON for the first time since 2006. 

One to watch: Vincent Aboubakar

Former Porto forward Aboubakar was Cameroon's Mr Reliable with two penalties in their comeback win over Burkina Faso. Having now scored in his last two AFCON appearances, he will become the first player to net in three consecutive games in the tournament for the Indomitable Lions since Samuel Eto'o in January 2008 (five in total) if he scores on Thursday.

Cape Verde v Burkina Faso (19:00 GMT)

While most of the attention will be on Cameroon, Cape Verde can also book their passage on Thursday.

Cape Verde saw off Ethiopia thanks to Julio Tavares' first-half goal, while Burkina Faso were downed by Aboubakar's two penalties in the space of eight minutes.

This will be the first AFCON encounter between the nations, with Cape Verde looking to remain unbeaten in their opening two games for the third straight tournament, having also done so in their two previous participations (two draws in both 2013 and 2015).

Burkina Faso, meanwhile, are looking to avoid suffering consecutive defeats in a single edition of the tournament since 2012, when they lost all three group matches.

With four of the best-ranked third-placed teams progressing to the knockout stage, Burkina Faso will surely go all out for victory to put themselves firmly in contention despite their opening defeat to Cameroon.

One to watch: Gustavo Sangare (Burkina Faso)

Sangare marked his AFCON debut with the opener against Cameroon and was a standout performer, creating a game-leading four chances. No Burkina Faso player has scored in successive AFCON matches since Alain Sibiri Traore in January 2013.