Featured Image Credit: Ziggo Sport Select
Topics: Morocco, Africa Cup Of Nations, Manchester United, Sofyan Amrabat, South Africa, Premier League
Alex Brotherton
Topics: Morocco, Africa Cup Of Nations, Manchester United, Sofyan Amrabat, South Africa, Premier League
Fans were quick to mock Sofyan Amrabat when the Manchester United midfielder was 'sent off twice' as Morocco crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Amrabat has struggled to live up to expectations after joining United in a deadline day loan move from Serie A side Fiorentina worth £8.5 million.
The 27-year-old has started seven of the 13 Premier League games he has been available for, and he has done little to suggest United will make his move permanent in the summer by activating a £21.4 million purchase option.
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Amrabat has missed United's last three games due to his participation at the AFCON. But if he hoped that representing his country would give him a chance to forget his United woes and kickstart his campaign, then he will be bitterly disappointed.
On Tuesday, 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco crashed out of the last-16 stage of the AFCON to South Africa. The best team on the African continent - according to the FIFA World Rankings - lost 2-0 to the 13th-best side, marking one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
Things got even worse for Amrabat when he was sent off deep into injury-time as frustration got the better of him.
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The United man barged over midfielder Teboho Mokoena as he raced towards the penalty area and was shown a second yellow card. The South African scored with the resulting free-kick to seal Morocco's fate.
Amrabat thought his card was going to be rescinded when the referee was instructed to view the pitchside monitor by the VAR, but the official instead upgraded the punishment to a straight red card as Amrabat was the last defender and made no attempt to play the ball.
Fans noticed that Amrabat had effectively been sent off twice, and soon took to social media to mock him.
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One fan joked: "Amrabat getting sent off for a second yellow, then told to come back for a VAR check, then getting a straight red card…to me, that’s absolute cinema," while another said: "Amrabat really got sent off twice!"
One fan said: "AFCON, I was not familiar. This is genuinely pure entertainment, anyone can win."