Senegal coach Guy Stephan launched a blistering attack on referee Ali Bujsaim after his side crashed out of the African Nations Cup to a hotly-disputed goal against Tunisia here on Saturday.
"The match was decided on an error by the referee," said Stephan after Jawhar Mnari's 65th minute goal won the bad-tempered quarter-final clash.
Senegal, runners-up two years ago, claimed that El Hadji Diouf had been fouled by Mehdi Nafti before the goal was scored. But UAE referee Bujsaim waved play on and Nafti found Ziad Jaziri whose overhead cross fell for Mnari to power a downward header past Tony Sylva in the Senegal goal.
Play was held up for five minutes as Senegal officials came on to the pitch to protest the goal and, at the end of the match, 10 minutes of injury time was played.
The win gave Tunisia a semi-final clash on Wednesday against either champions Cameroon or Nigeria.
"We had confidence in the Confederation of African Football choosing a neutral referee but the images are clear, there was a mistake," said Stephan.
Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre tried to calm the waters. "It was a wild match in the twenty last minutes," said the Frenchman. "I won't accuse anyone. Everyone is responsible when there is trouble and to officiate is not easy. You need courage and the referee made his decisions from his soul and conscience."
Saturday's result was particularly sweet for Lemerre, who was in charge of defending champions France when they lost to Senegal in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup.
Ironically, Stephan assisted Lemerre in a disastrous defence of the title which ended with France making a humiliating first-round exit while Senegal became only the second African team to reach the quarter-finals.
But the Teranga Lions have struggled since those heady days in the Far East with the slump in form of golden boy El Hadji Diouf mirroring that of his team-mates and Tunisia created more chance to emerge worthy winners.
The opening half produced few chances before a near-capacity crowd in the fog-enveloped, 60,000-capacity November 7 Stadium on a cold, windy evening on the outskirts of the Tunisian capital.
Senegal were first to threaten with defender and new captain Pape Malick Diop heading narrowly wide and midfielder Salif Diao was off target after another free kick was floated into the Tunisian goalmouth.
It took the Teranga Lions 32 minutes to force their first corner and when the kick dropped on the far side of the penalty area, Henri Camara beat Ali Boumnijel with a snap shot that flew wide.
Bujsaim booked two Senegal players in the closing minutes of the half.
Pape Bouba Diop was first to receive a yellow card quickly follwed by Salif Diao for a cynical tackle from behind.
Thick fog engulfed the stadium by the start of the second half and many spectators were unhappy with their limited view of the third Nations Cup clash between the countries. The previous two in 1965 and 2002 finished goalless.
Jaidi was next to try and end the deadlock in an increasingly tough battle of attrition, but his medium range shot posed no danger to Sylva.
With 65 minutes gone the stalemate finally ended with Mnari's header despite a brave attempt by Lamine Diatta to prevent the ball crossing the line.
Jaziri and Brazil-born Silva dos Santos were cautioned as the tension grew while Diouf fired just wide in a rare moment when he concentrated on the ball rather than arguing with the match officials.