His explanations will have to wait for the international press. Due to an electrifying atmosphere in the bowels of the Rabat stadium where the CAN final was played on Sunday evening, the press conference by Senegal coach Pape Thiaw traditionally planned after the meeting was finally canceled.
The architect of the new African champions nevertheless explained to the microphone of BeIN Sports his crazy decision to ask his team to leave the pitch after the referee ordered a penalty for Morocco, in stoppage time of the match, after a fairly slight foul by Diouf on Diaz.
“We didn’t agree… I don’t want to go back to the facts of this match because afterward I didn’t at all appreciate the fact that I was able to tell my players to leave (the field),” he says in the preamble, before making amends.
“I offer my apologies to football”, he continues, assuring that it was a “hot” reaction, because “still we can wonder if this penalty existed and that before we scored a goal which was not awarded”.
Thiaw finally, “after reflection”, asked his players to return to the pitch, with the success that we know. “We shouldn’t have done it,” he concluded. We accept refereeing errors, it can happen.”
During this CAN, numerous decisions favorable to Morocco were widely commented on by opposing teams and the media, creating, according to Walid Regragui, the Atlas Lions coach, an “unhealthy” atmosphere around the arbitration.
“The image we have given of Africa is shameful,” he sighed at a press conference. Asking your team to leave the field is not classy. Tonight, Senegal are champions, congratulations to them. But what Pope did(Thiaw, Senegal coach)it’s not classy. We showed that to the whole world.
