Brahim Diaz’s Afcon penalty miss: ‘He’s going to have nightmares’ say pundits
It was a moment that would haunt Brahim Diaz for years to come.
Defeating Senegal goalless in the African Cup of Nations final, the winger had the chance to write his name in Moroccan folklore by winning a penalty in the eighth minute of extra time in the second half.
This was a golden opportunity to end his country’s 50-year wait to lift the Afcon trophy.
However, Diaz, who took the hosts to the final with his five goals, tried the ‘Panenka’ penalty. It backfired. Horribly so. Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy stopped in his tracks and made an embarrassingly simple catch of the ball.
The former Manchester City player and the tournament’s top scorer looked distraught as he began to realize his actions. Later, television cameras zoomed in on the player, who entered the game in extra time, on the Moroccan bench and he held back tears.
The Real Madrid attacker had to wait nearly 17 minutes to take the shot after most of the Senegalese players, including Mendy, walked off the field in protest at the penalty decision.
“He had too much time before taking the penalty and that must have bothered him,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said.
“But we can’t change what happened. He chose to use the penalty this way. Now we have to look ahead.”
Diaz’s penalty was the last kick of normal time.
Four minutes into extra time, Senegal’s Pape Gueye lashed out in what turned out to be the winners, much to the heartbreak of Diaz and his Moroccan team-mates.
Former Morocco midfielder Hassan Kachloul said in Channel 4’s news about the match, “I think Brahim Diaz will have many nightmares in the coming days.”
Former Nigerian striker Daniel Amokachi added: “Brahim Diaz has put away all his great moments, scoring five goals in this tournament.”
Former Nigerian midfielder Jon Obi Mikel said that this absence “ruined everything Brahim Diaz did well in this tournament.”
“It will be demolished,” he added. “This is going to be hard for him for weeks and months.”
Another former Nigerian international, Efan Ekoku, said: “This is a moment Brahim Diaz will never forget.”
