The scars stay for the veteran Atlas Lions defender. In that ultimate, Morocco stood on the precipice of writing probably the most illustrious chapters of their fashionable historical past. In the match’s defining moments, a penalty offered itself as a golden alternative to finish a continental trophy drought that had spanned a long time. However, slightly than choosing energy and precision, Brahim Diaz tried a ‘Panenka’ that finally backfired.
“When I saw him go for the chip, I thought: you can’t do that now,” Saiss admitted in an interview with ‘Colinterview’. For the Moroccan defender, the context made that selection unnecessarily reckless: it was a ultimate performed on residence soil, with over fifty years of ready for a continental title and 20 years since that they had final reached the ultimate. The expectation was that his teammate would convert clinically with out taking such a raffle. “I thought he would smash it down the middle: it was about scoring, celebrating, and lifting the trophy,” he defined.
“Since that moment, and even today, I feel an immense void,” the participant confessed. “He could have been the hero, but he wanted to be the superhero,” Saiss lamented, reiterating that Brahim Diaz didn’t want such a flamboyant flourish to shine beneath such intense stress.
At the ultimate whistle, Senegal prevailed, capitalising on the Atlas Lions’ squandered alternative. The Africa Cup of Nations ultimate thus concluded with the coronation of the Lions of Teranga, leaving a bitter style for Marruecos, who noticed glory slip via their fingers on the eleventh hour.
