Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Thursday January 22, 2026 at 8:06 p.m.
Did Cristian Zavala see the CAN final? Regardless, the Colo Colo striker delivered a pitiful execution.
More ridiculous than Brahim Diaz? Technically, it is possible, even if the stakes were completely different during a simple friendly match in South America between Penarol of Montevideo and the Chilean club of Colo Colo. It was generally “pathetic” according to our colleagues from Mundo Deportivo, the highlight of the show being offered by Cristian Zavala. His panenka was so missed that unlike his Moroccan counterpart, who became the laughing stock of the football world on Sunday evening during the CAN final finally lost by his Atlas Lions against Senegal (1-0 ap), the ball even touched the ground before landing in the arms of the local goalkeeper, who had not moved and only had to pick up the ball (see below) even more easily than Edouard Mendy against Brahim Diaz.
Artiz: “It’s madness that characterizes him, his emotion too”
Impossible to assume, on the other hand, for the attacker of the visiting team, who then claimed a knee injury by falling to the ground immediately after his attempt. His coach Fernando Artiz defended him as best he could: “He had a problem before the match, but I understand that he wanted to shoot, it’s the madness that characterizes him… His emotion too, and that’s what pushed him to do that. We’re examining it and I hope it’s nothing serious.” Probably not, so the coach doesn’t worry too much. If it’s not a nice knot in the brain…
Of course, the comparison with Brahim Diaz was immediate on social networks, where the sequence also went viral on a global scale. Fortunately for him, and while still weighing very heavily given the non-existent stakes (compared to an African Cup final) – which, of course, also allowed his coach to remain as detached in his analysis -, Colo Colo won this penalty shootout which was itself catastrophic as a whole. Indeed, after a 1-1 during the match, Colo Colo won 4-3 on… 18 shots, or only 39% success. A real rarity when it comes to taking penalties.
