AFCON referee Janny Sikazwe claims he blew the full-time whistle with five minutes remaining in Mali’s controversial win over Tunisia because God told him to do so.

The AFCON referee who blew for full-time early in Tunisia clash with Mali in Africa Cup of Nations last month claims he could have died of heatstroke if the match had gone on any longer.

Official Janny Sikazwe from Zambia stirred controversy when he ended the match in the group stage early on January 12, and was asked to restart the game after blowing his full-time whistle five minutes before the full 90 was up.

Daily mail reported that Tunisia, who were trailing 1-0 and playing against 10 men when Sikazwe ended the match early for a second time, were left incensed at Cameroon’s Limbe Stadium, with members of their coaching staff storming onto the pitch to confront the referee.

Sikazwe, however, believes his mistake was actually a blessing from god.

‘I have seen people going for duties outside the country and come back in a casket,’ he told reporters after arriving back in Zambia. ‘I was very close to coming back like that.

‘I was lucky I didn’t go into a coma. It would have been a very different story.

‘The doctors told me my body was not cooling down. It would have been just a little time before [I would have gone] into a coma, and that would have been the end.

‘I think God told me to end the match. He saved me.’

When confronted by Tunisia players and staff, Sikazwe maintained his stand and had to be escorted off the field by security.