It was a moment that would haunt Brahim Diaz for years to come.
The winger had the chance to write his name into Moroccan folklore after winning a penalty in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal.
advertise
It was the perfect opportunity to end his country’s 50-year wait to lift the African Cup of Nations trophy.
But Diaz, who took the hosts into the final with five goals, attempted the “Panenka” penalty kick. The result was counterproductive. It’s terrible. Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy held his ground and collected the ball in embarrassingly simple fashion.
The former Manchester City player and the tournament’s top scorer looked distraught as he became obsessed with what he was doing. Later, after he was substituted in extra time, he fought back tears as TV cameras focused on the Moroccan bench.
The Real Madrid striker was forced to wait around 17 minutes before taking the penalty after most of the Senegalese players, including Mendy, left the pitch in protest at the penalty call.
advertise
“He had a long time before taking the penalty and that must have disturbed him,” Morocco coach Walid Reglaj said.
“But we can’t change what happened. That’s how he chose to take the penalty. We need to move on now.”
Diaz’s penalty became the last kick of normal time.
Four minutes into overtime, Senegal’s Papu Gueye scored the winning goal to break the hearts of Diaz and his Moroccan teammates.
“I think Brahim Diaz is going to have a lot of nightmares in the next few days,” former Morocco midfielder Hassan Kahlul told Channel 4’s coverage of the match.
advertise
Former Nigeria striker Daniel Amokachi added: “Brahim Diaz has thrown away all his shining moments and scored five goals in this World Cup.”
Former Nigeria midfielder Jon Obi Mikel said the mistake “undermined everything Brahim Diaz has done in this tournament”.
“He will be destroyed,” he added. “This is going to be hard on him for weeks and months.”
Another former Nigeria international, Efan Ekoku, said: “This is a moment Brahim Diaz will never get over.”
what happened?
In the second half of stoppage time, Diaz El-Haji Malik Diouf appeared to be grabbing Diaz by the neck and dragged Diaz to the ground, and the game ended in a goalless draw.
advertise
In the 98th minute, Democratic Republic of the Congo referee Jean-Jacques Ndala was sent to the sideline monitor by the video assistant referee and pointed out the penalty spot after a quick inspection.
Already enraged after a Senegalese goal was disallowed in the 93rd minute, head coach Papu Thiaw attempted to remove his team from the pitch while several Senegalese players headed to the dressing room.
Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane stayed on the pitch and tried to persuade his Senegalese team-mates to come back and finish the game.
When a penalty kick was awarded in the 114th minute, Diaz’s shot was saved by Mendy.
Papu Gueye gave Senegal the lead four minutes into extra time. Diaz was substituted a few minutes later.
advertise
What is “Panenka”? Who else has tried it?
Morocco last won the Africa Cup of Nations in the same year that Panenka attempted a penalty for the first time.
In the 1976 European Cup final, Czechoslovakia defeated West Germany with perhaps the most famous penalty kick in history. During the penalty shootout, midfielder Antonin Panenka waited for the goalkeeper to save before nonchalantly cutting the ball into the middle of the goal.
Since its inception, the Panenka has been used repeatedly by some of the biggest names on the most important occasions, and has proven to be a real (albeit highly risky) strategy.
Zidane scored for France in the 2006 World Cup final, beating Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and hitting the crossbar.
advertise
Andrea Pirlo clinically beat Joe Hart as Italy beat England on penalties in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals. Sergio Ramos followed as Spain knocked Portugal out of the semi-finals of the same tournament.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have all made it.
But Diaz isn’t the only player to see his attempts backfire on football’s biggest stage. Both Zidane and Pirlo missed the early stages of Panenka’s career. Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Peter Crouch have all tried and failed.
Brentford goalkeeper Cowichan Kelleher easily beat Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fay’s shot in the Premier League in January.
advertise
Ademola Lookman’s horrific last-gasp strike in West Ham’s 1-0 defeat in 2020 ranks as one of Panenka’s worst penalties in recent years.
