Former Morocco national football team captain Romain Saiss has criticised Brahim Diaz for attempting a risky Panenka penalty during the dramatic final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat, MySportDab Reports.
Morocco were awarded a late penalty with only two minutes of added time remaining during the January 19 final against Senegal national football team.
The decision sparked protests from Senegal’s players, who briefly threatened to abandon the match before being calmed by captain Sadio Mane.
Diaz, who had been Morocco’s standout performer throughout the tournament with five goals in seven matches, stepped up to take the decisive spot kick.
However, his attempted Panenka was comfortably saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
The miss proved costly as the match went into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the winning goal to seal a 1–0 victory for Senegal and their second continental title.
Saiss admitted the moment was difficult to watch, suggesting Diaz took an unnecessary risk during a crucial moment of the match. “You can miss a penalty in an AFCON final, it happens,” Saiss said. “But trying a Panenka in that situation was not the right choice.”
Diaz later issued a public apology on social media, accepting full responsibility for the miss. Weeks after the tournament, Saiss announced his retirement from international football, ending a decade-long career with 86 caps and a historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
