'My soul hurts' says Brahim Díaz as Morocco pursue legal action over loss to Senegal in AFCON final

Díaz has apologised for his panenka penalty miss, describing it as a failure that had left his soul hurting and would be difficult to recover from.

DISTRAUGHT DIAZ: FIFA President Gianni Infantino present Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz with the trophy of the best scorer. Pic: AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy.

Morocco’s football federation has announced it will pursue legal action over the outcome of Sunday’s chaotic and controversial Africa Cup of Nations final based on a belief that the decision of Senegal’s players to leave the pitch, causing a 15-minute delay, had a material impact on the result.

Senegal secured their second Afcon title via a 1-0 victory at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, Papa Gueye scoring the only goal on 94 minutes.

But that came after an incredible denouement to normal time, with Morocco awarded a penalty when El Hadji Malick Diouf was penalised, after a VAR review, for a pull on Brahim Díaz as he defended a corner.

It was a somewhat harsh call and led to the majority of those in green, upon instructions from their manager, Pape Thiaw, walking off in protest.

They eventually returned and, soon after, Díaz took the hosts’ spot-kick, only to miss after failing with a horrendously executed Panenka. Gueye made the Real Madrid man pay for his inexplicable indiscretion.

Díaz has apologised for his miss, describing it as a failure that had left his soul hurting and would be difficult to recover from. But there is clearly a feeling within Morocco that the 26-year-old’s head had been scrambled by Senegal’s actions and that Sunday’s events cannot be allowed to rest.

Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz prepares to take a penalty. Pic: AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy.

“The Royal Moroccan Football Federation announces that it will pursue legal action with the Confederation of African Football [Caf] and Fifa to rule on the walk-off of the Senegalese national team from the field during the final against the Moroccan national team, as well as on the events surrounding this decision, following the referee’s awarding of a penalty that was deemed correct by all experts,” a statement read. 

“This situation had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and on the players’ performance.”

Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui, criticised Thiaw for leading Senegal’s walk-off, saying: “The image we’ve given of Africa is shameful.” Thiaw apologised after the game. “After reflecting on it, I made them come back – you can react in the heat of the moment,” he told beIN Sports.

“We accept the errors of the referee. We shouldn’t have done it but it’s done and now we present our apologies to football.” That is likely to be little comfort to Diaz.

“My soul hurts,” the forward said on Monday. “I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you all gave me, every message, every show of support that made me feel I wasn’t alone. I fought with everything I had, with my heart above all else.

“Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility. I apologise from the bottom of my heart. It will be hard for me to recover, because this wound doesn’t heal easily … but I will try. Not for myself, but for everyone who believed in me and for everyone who suffered with me.

"I will keep going forward until one day I can give you all this love back and become a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”

In a statement Caf made clear its objection to Senegal’s walk-off, describing the action as “unacceptable and “inappropriate” and insisting it would be “reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty”.

Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said: “We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members. It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport, it is simply not right. We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials.”

Footage also showed ballboys trying to wrestle a towel from the Senegal reserve goalkeeper Yehvan Diouf that he was making available from behind the goal to Mendy in wet conditions.

A Morocco substitute also appeared to try to block Diouf from giving the towel to Mendy.

Guardian