VIDEO: Sofyan Amrabat shown TWO red cards as Man Utd midfielder is called back to the pitch amid VAR confusion during Morocco's AFCON last-16 defeat to South Africa

The midfielder received a second yellow for tripping Teboho Mokoena as the Atlas Lions desperately looked for an equaliser when 1-0 down in their last 16 clash with South Africa in injury time. Confusion reigned as referee Mahmood Ismail was called to the video screen to review the incident, leaving Amrabat and Morocco in the apparent hope that the yellow card may be rescinded.

Amrabat was already making his way to the tunnel when the referee called him back to rescind the caution and upgrade it to a straight red card for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity.

Morocco were frustrated by a delay that essentially produced the same outcome, and indeed would never have saved Amrabat as yellow cards currently remain outside of VAR's remit. Their dismay was compounded when Mokoena hammered the resultant free kick beyond Bono to seal a remarkable 2-0 win for South Africa and a stunning exit for Africa's top-ranked nation, who spurned an opportunity to level when Achraf Hakimi's 85th-minute penalty hit the crossbar.

The Atlas Lions will have to pick themselves up after Tuesday's night stunning loss. Their fourth-place finish in the World Cup in Qatar, where they became the first African side to reach a semi-final, will feel a world away after they became the latest big name to crash out of AFCON.

Amrabat's imperious performances in Qatar won him a loan move to United from Fiorentina, but he has a lot of work to do if he is to convince Old Trafford's overhauled recruitment department to make that move permanent.