Senegal football chiefs find themselves under serious criticism after Sadio Mane was allowed to carry on against Cape Verde having been knocked out cold.
Concern grew for the Liverpool attacker following a nasty collision with Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha during the last-16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Following treatment for the mid-air collision in the 53rd minute when chasing a long ball upfield, Mane was allowed to continue while Vozinha, shown a red card for the foul, was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and reported to have been taken to hospital.
That decision angered viewers of the match who felt that the necessary protocol was not followed and Mane, who went on to score, should have had no choice but to be substituted off.
'Sadio Mane should have been subbed IMMEDIATELY after the clash. Or not allowed to come on immediately,' one angry Twitter user wrote.
Twitter user Joe Dixon added: 'Cannot believe Mané was allowed to play on after that collision, was completed knocked out.
'Scored a peach soon after, before eventually being subbed off as he was lying on the ground in discomfort pointing at his head.
'Shocking that he wasn’t brought off immediately.'
Another added: 'Disgusting he was allowed to stay on the pitch after clearly being concussed.'
Mane appeared in a great deal of pain following the clash but after being allowed to come back on he made a decisive contribution in the last-16 match-up.
He went on to break the deadlock in the 63rd minute, clipping the ball in off the underside of the crossbar after it fell to him at the back post from a corner.
There was a lengthy VAR review of a possible foul before the goal was confirmed, after which Mane dropped onto the pitch holding his head before eventually being helped off and substituted.
Senegal made sure of progress when Bamba Dieng scored a second on the counter attack during stoppage time.
'Mane scored with a concussion. Warrior but they should have subbed him when it happened. He was out cold,' another fan tweeted.
'Sadio Mane should have been substituted after that clash but l guess it’s African Football so you’re expected to act like a rock. Bad player management,' Twitter user Yuri added.