In a heated match during the round of 16 of the 2023 AFCON, Ivory Coast eliminated Senegal. A defeat that Krépin Diatta struggled to digest and didn’t hold back from saying in the mixed zone.
The match between Senegal and Ivory Coast started with high intensity, with Senegal quickly taking the lead thanks to a goal from Habib Diallo, after a brilliant move initiated by Sadio Mané.
Senegal Eliminated by a Brave Ivory Coast
Despite an early lead, Senegal failed to maintain its high tempo but still kept the pressure on its opponent. Ivory Coast showed signs of awakening in the second half, creating some dangerous opportunities, notably a header from Franck Kessié saved by the Senegalese goalkeeper.
Ultimately, Ivory Coast equalized with a penalty awarded after consultation with VAR, converted by Kessié. The match then headed to extra time, where both teams continued to engage in an intense battle. Unable to separate themselves, the match was ultimately decided by penalties, with Ivory Coast emerging victorious.
This defeat is a major disappointment for Senegal and their unlucky player, Moussa Niakhaté. Ivory Coast thus qualifies for the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the match between Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Outburst of the Senegalese Player, Krépin Diatta
After his team’s defeat, Senegalese player Krépin Diatta let out his frustration and indignation against the refereeing and governing bodies. Openly accusing members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of corruption, Krépin Diatta declared to the media and as reported by the Senegalese site Senenews, this: “You’ve killed us, you are corrupt. Keep your Africa Cup.”
The moment that triggered the player’s anger from AS Monaco was a penalty not awarded for a foul on his teammate Ismaïla Sarr. “Everyone saw it. You can’t decide the fate of an entire country like that. It’s incomprehensible. You go to the VAR to give them a penalty, a guy who takes the ball 40 meters and makes a run, enters the area, and you don’t want to go check the VAR? I’m sorry but this is outrageous. I’m really sorry but they killed our competition,” he explained, denouncing the lack of recourse to video refereeing.
But this was not the only controversial incident of the match. Sadio Mané’s brutal tackle on Ibrahim Sangaré’s ankle, which could have warranted a red card, was only punished with a yellow card. A fact that many observers also highlighted, pointing out that Senegal should have played with a numerical disadvantage from the beginning of the match.
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