Shehu Dikko, the head of the national team for Senegal, described the nation’s preparations for Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final as “well-prepared” for the match between Nigeria and Morocco.  ,
Dikko asserted in an interview with The Morning Brief on Monday that Senegal’s preparation was fueled by the contentious officiating in the final game between the Super Eagles and Morocco.
“Senegal benefited from what occurred in Nigeria, probably during the most recent game. The officiating was not done as intended. Senegal arrived prepared because all the second balls went to Morocco, and everyone felt a little off.
Senegal won the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Morocco on Sunday with a 1-0 extra point lead.
At the conclusion of the match, Pape Gueye’s goal gave them a 1-0 victory over Morocco’s host.
The sport commissioner criticized Senegal’s performance, saying “the rules are rules, they brought the game to disrepute, and I’m sure they’ll hear from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for what they did.”
The referee’s decision is not supposed to be challenged, and football is not played that way.
However, he did point out that “African football has taken a hit” because, at the end of the day, it was a very brilliant competition.
Despite all the investment, the excellent facilities, and organization, this incident in the final might define this competition.
The only matches that were having issues were the ones that involved the host nation, he continued, “perhaps as a result of the pressure from the fans,” he continued.
READ MORE: Senegal Unable To Retake Second AFCON Title After Extra Time To Stun Morocco
What transpired was reportedly disastrous for African football, he claims.
At the end of the day, I hope something will be done anyway. However, the host should take lessons from that, and the referee should also understand that doing so is not just because you are working against the host.
Source: Channels TV
Leave a Reply