Brahim Diaz has moved swiftly to close down hypothesis surrounding his dramatic late penalty miss within the Africa Cup of Nations last, insisting he alone bears accountability after Morocco’s dream of continental glory slipped away in heartbreaking vogue.
The Actual Madrid ahead discovered himself on the centre of one of the vital controversial moments in AFCON historical past when his stoppage-time spot kick was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, moments after a VAR overview awarded Morocco a penalty.
The choice sparked livid protests from Senegal’s gamers, with head coach Pape Thiaw main his group off the pitch, leading to a unprecedented delay earlier than the kick was ultimately taken deep into added time.
Below intense strain and with the hopes of a nation resting on his shoulders, Diaz opted for a fragile chipped effort down the center. Mendy stood his floor to make a cushty save, a miss that instantly ignited rumours on-line suggesting the Moroccan star had intentionally failed to attain.
Additional time adopted, and Senegal sealed their second AFCON crown via a surprising Pape Gueye strike, extending Morocco’s title drought to almost 5 many years.
On Monday, an emotional Diaz addressed the controversy, rejecting the accusations and providing a heartfelt apology to Moroccan followers. “My soul hurts,” the 26-year-old mentioned. “Yesterday I failed and I take full accountability. I apologise from the underside of my coronary heart.
” The event’s high scorer with 5 objectives admitted the ache would take time to heal however vowed to maintain preventing for the nation that stood by him all through the competitors.
Assist for Diaz additionally got here from the Senegal camp. Match-winner Edouard Mendy dismissed the conspiracy theories, stressing the magnitude of the second.
“He wished to attain and I deserve credit score for stopping him – that’s all,” the Chelsea goalkeeper mentioned, urging folks to deal with the incident with seriousness.
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui struck an analogous tone, pointing to the unusually lengthy delay earlier than the penalty as a doable consider unsettling his participant, whereas calling for unity and perspective. “We will’t change what occurred,” Regragui famous. “We have to look forwards now.”
Because the mud settles on a dramatic AFCON last, Diaz’s emotional response has shifted the main target from conspiracy to accountability, underlining the nice margins that separate triumph from heartbreak on Africa’s largest stage. For Morocco, the look ahead to a primary AFCON title since 1976 goes on — however so too does perception in a group that got here agonisingly shut.
