Did Morocco star Brahim Diaz miss penalty on purpose? Senegal’s spot-kick hero Edouard Mendy has his say…
Diaz's fluffed Panenka for Morocco prompted suspicions he may have deliberately missed
Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has dismissed suggestions Brahim Diaz deliberately missed the injury-time penalty that would have handed Morocco the Africa Cup of Nations title.
The decision from referee Jean Jacques Ndala to award tournament hosts Morocco a spot-kick in the 98th-minute, not long after he had ruled out a Senegal goal for a seemingly innocuous challenge from Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi, incensed the Lions of Teranga to the extent they left the field in protest.
After a 17-minute hold-up, Senegal finally returned only for a forlorn-looking Diaz to chip a Panenka penalty straight into Mendy’s hands. Senegal went on to win the title in extra-time thanks to Pape Gueye’s stunning strike.
No celebrations from Senegal after penalty miss
The lack of celebration from the Senegal players prompted suspicions that Real Madrid forward Diaz had missed deliberately following discussions between the two camps and the Confederation of African Football during the delay.
But Mendy said that was not the case.
He told beIN Sport: “Do you really believe that with one minute left, when a country has been waiting for this for 50 years… do you think we would agree on something? He wanted to score, I get the credit for stopping it, that’s all. Let’s put an end to this.
“Diaz tried to score, and I just did my job. I stayed calm facing that Panenka and managed to save it. It’s time to close this debate.”
The talk prior to the final was that the cards had been loaded to help Morocco claim the trophy on home soil – a narrative Senegal were eager to play into – but Mendy says his team can now reflect on a job well done.
“Some things happened on the pitch, but in football, the most important thing is to win,” he added. “We gave it our all, no cheating. Senegal are African champions, and we are extremely happy about it.”
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