Former Nigeria internationals Daniel Amokachi and Obi Mikel have reacted to Brahim Diaz’s missed penalty in Morocco’s defeat to Senegal.
It was a golden opportunity to end his country’s 50-year wait to lift the Afcon trophy.
But Diaz, whose five goals had propelled the hosts to the final, tried a ‘Panenka’ chipped penalty. It backfired. Horrendously so. Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy stood his ground and caught the ball in embarrassingly simple fashion.
The former Manchester City player and tournament’s top scorer looked distraught as it began to sink in what he had done. Later, television cameras zoomed in on him on the Morocco bench, after he had been substituted in extra time, holding back tears.
The Real Madrid attacker had been made to wait around 17 minutes to take the kick after the majority of Senegal’s players, including Mendy, marched off the pitch in protest at the award of the penalty.
According to BBC Sport on Monday, Amokachi said: “Brahim Diaz threw away all of his glorious moments, scoring five goals in this tournament.”
Mikel added, “It spoils everything Brahim Diaz has done well in this tournament. He is going to be devastated. This is going to be tough on him, for weeks, for months.”
The Real Madrid forward had attempted a Panenka penalty late in normal time, only for Senegal to eventually win four minutes into extra time through Pape Gueye.
Former Morocco midfielder Hassan Kachloul also weighed in, saying: “I think Brahim Diaz is going to have a lot of nightmares in the coming days,” while ex-Nigeria forward Efan Ekoku described it as “a moment he will never get over.”
The miss marked a painful end to a tournament in which Diaz had scored five goals, leaving Morocco eliminated from the competition.
The winger had a chance to write his name into Moroccan folklore after winning a penalty in the eighth minute of second-half added time with the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal goalless.
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