Edouard Mendy has dismissed suggestions that Brahim Diaz deliberately missed his last-minute penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations final, calling the theory 'not serious'. The Morocco forward's panenka attempt was saved by Mendy, allowing Senegal to win the trophy in extra-time.
The penalty was awarded after a VAR intervention, leading to a 17-minute delay as Senegal's players protested by walking off the pitch. Diaz eventually stepped up but his weak effort was easily caught by the former Chelsea goalkeeper.
Speaking after the match, Mendy rejected the idea that Diaz missed on purpose. 'No, of course not. We have to be serious. Do you really think that with one minute left and a country that has been waiting 50 years for a title, we can reach an agreement?' he said.
Diaz was reportedly distraught in the dressing room, apologising to his teammates before breaking down in tears. Morocco manager Walid Regragui defended his player, suggesting the long wait before the kick may have affected him.
Mendy expressed pride in Senegal's resilience, noting that Sadio Mane played a key role in convincing the team to return to the pitch after their protest. 'We did it together and we came back together, that's all that matters,' Mendy added.
