The Senegalese full-back, Krépin Diatta, did not mince his words regarding CAF and the refereeing after the elimination in the round of sixteen of the AFCON 2023 against Ivory Coast. Without beating around the bush, Nabil Djellit, a journalist for the channel L’Équipe and Canal+, will respond to him.
The Lions of Teranga from Senegal fell this Monday against the Elephants of Ivory Coast in the round of sixteen of the AFCON 2023. The reigning champions, the clear favorites of the competition, probably did not expect an Ivorian team, unrecognizable in the group stage, to wake up so abruptly and put up fierce opposition. After the match, marked by errors from the Gabonese referee and the elimination of the Senegalese, Krépin Diatta, the AS Monaco full-back, criticized CAF officials in the mixed zone, denouncing theft.
According to the Senegalese player, not getting a penalty after a questionable action by the Ivorian defender, Odilon Kossounou, on Ismaïla Sarr, is a scandal. “You are corrupt. You killed us, you are corrupt! Keep your Africa Cup. You are going to see the VAR to give them a penalty, a guy (Ismaïla Sarr) who takes the ball 40 meters and makes a run, enters the box, and you don’t want to go check the VAR? I’m sorry, but that’s outrageous. I’m really sorry, but they killed our competition,” exploded Aliou Cissé’s player in the mixed zone, as reported by L’Équipe, relayed by Foot Mercato.
Nabil Djellit’s unequivocal response
Indeed, there could be a penalty on this action, but Senegal also escaped well on an ugly gesture from Sadio Mané on Ibrahima Sangaré early in the game. Without discussion, the action of the Senegalese star deserved a severe sanction, especially a red card that would have changed the course of the match. On the penalty awarded to the Elephants for the equalization, there is also mention of an unnoticed offside. In the end, the refereeing erred in this crucial match, but for both teams. Thus, after Krépin Diatta’s outburst, the journalist from L’Équipe, Nabil Djellit, broke his silence.
On his Twitter account, the Franco-Algerian took a swipe at Diatta, who criticizes CAF for nothing. For Djellit, Senegal’s elimination comes from the team’s poor performance, which mainly left the ball to Emerse Fae’s men after Habib Diallo’s quick opening goal. “The referee was simply bad. He should have expelled Mané. At real-time speed, he didn’t even see the very clear penalty on Pépé. The Ivorians had to protest and take yellow cards. Senegal cannot complain. They should have played football instead of defending a 1-0 lead,” said the French media man currently in Ivory Coast.
A potential CAF sanction for Diatta?
It must be said that Krépin Diatta’s strong reaction could cause him problems with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) if its disciplinary committee takes up the matter. Indeed, in similar cases, the governing bodies impose severe sanctions for baseless allegations of corruption against referees or authorities. In any case, the AS Monaco full-back must sit idle after his country’s elimination from this surprising CAN 2023.
After Algeria, the champion in 2019 and a participant in the 2022 World Cup, Ghana, Tunisia, and Cameroon, Senegal is the other top favorite of this 34th edition of the Africa Cup to exit prematurely. Among the eliminated teams, including the Fennecs and the Eagles of Carthage from Tunisia, who mentioned some problems related to refereeing, Krépin Diatta’s exit is the most vehement. It must be said that the elimination hurts deeply.
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