The final chaos of the Africa Cup is not yet over for Morocco. The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) announced on Monday that it would take legal action against the African Confederation (CAF) and the World Federation (FIFA). Specifically, the Senegalese national team’s departure from the pitch should be investigated. “This situation had a significant impact on the normal course of the game and the performance of the players,” the FRMF wrote in a statement.
Senegal’s triumph at 1-0 (0-0) after extra time was overshadowed by a scandal. The trigger for this was that Senegal felt doubly cheated. At the beginning of added time, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala (DR Congo) refused to recognize Senegal’s opening goal because of a controversial foul in the making. When the referee whistled a penalty for Morocco after a VAR check (90+8), things got wild.
Senegal’s coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the field and chaos broke out in the stands in Rabat. Senegal’s fans wanted to storm the pitch, but security forces prevented this. Morocco’s Brahim Díaz was only allowed to play almost 20 minutes after the penalty whistle – and he chipped the penalty half-high and without any force into the arms of Edouard Mendy, who saved his team into extra time. There Pape Gueye (94th) scored a dream goal for Senegal to their second triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations after 2022.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino then castigated the final chaos with harsh words. The president of the world football association wrote on Instagram about “unacceptable” and “ugly” scenes that must be “condemned” and “never be allowed to repeat”. He expects “the relevant disciplinary bodies” of the African association CAF to “take the appropriate measures”.
The CAF reacted and condemned the “unacceptable behavior of some players and officials” in a statement. The association also announced that it would examine “all video material” and forward the case “to the relevant authorities” “so that appropriate measures can be taken against the culprits.”
Meanwhile, Brahim Díaz is harshly judging himself after missing a penalty in stoppage time. “My soul hurts. Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility for it and apologize from the bottom of my heart,” the tournament’s top scorer wrote in an emotional statement on Instagram.
“So you don’t take a penalty”
Not having broken the spell of Morocco’s 50-year-long titlelessness with the failed Panenka penalty will continue to wear on him for a long time, explained the 26-year-old. “It will be difficult for me to recover from this, as this wound does not heal easily, but I will try.”
In view of his attempted artistic shot and the immense importance of the game, Díaz was sometimes criticized harshly. He disappointed an entire country, said former Bundesliga professional Michél Dinzey as a TV expert at Sportdigital and added: “You don’t shoot a penalty like that.”
Nevertheless, the Real Madrid player received a lot of support. Already in the morning, club colleague Kylian Mbappé expressed his concerns about Díaz’s mental state. “I sent him a message but haven’t received an answer yet. I’ve been in this situation before,” said Mbappé at the press conference before Los Blancos’ Champions League game against AS Monaco. “There will be disappointment and anger. The Moroccan people have been waiting for this title for years and were so close. Such is the life of a footballer.”
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