Time stood still in the 51st minute of the match between Canada and Qatar in Vancouver for the second matchday of Group B of the World Cup, when Qatar midfielder Asim Madibo made a particularly hard and dangerous tackle on Koné, striking him violently from behind.

The Canadian was forced to leave the field, and Madibo was shown a straight red card. Koné was particularly unlucky, as he suffered a fracture of the tibia and fibula; he underwent successful surgery in recent days and will be sidelined for the next five months.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee imposed one of the harshest penalties in World Cup history, imposing a five-match suspension on Mandibo; only in two other cases have players received harsher penalties.

The nine-match suspension handed down to Luis Suárez for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup and the eight-match suspension imposed on Mauro Tassotti for elbowing Luis Enrique at the 1994 World Cup.

*photo source: AP