PARIS: The Africa Cup of Nations unfolded in a climate of suspicion that referees were favoring host nation Morocco, which reached a climax as Sunday’s final tipped into chaos after several contentious decisions.
The most striking image of this AFCON will remain the Senegal players leaving the pitch after Morocco were awarded a penalty at the very end of the second half.
That came shortly after referee Jean-Jacques Ndala had disallowed a goal for Senegal.
The Senegalese reaction was a sign of the prevailing mistrust shown to match officials over the three weeks of the competition.
Criticism of the refereeing is particularly marked at AFCONs, but never before had the grievances taken on such proportions, to the point of spoiling the final in Rabat and tarnishing the image of a tournament whose organization had until then been widely praised.
“From the start it was unhealthy,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said after the Moroccans lost 1-0 in extra time in front of their home fans, referring to the oppressive atmosphere that accompanied each of his team’s games.
Beyond the pressure exerted by Moroccan supporters during their team’s matches and the limited number of seats allocated to their opponents, the sources of tension between players and referees were legion.
Morocco’s 2-0 win against Cameroon in the quarter-finals sparked the anger of the Cameroonians, who blamed the referee for overlooking a penalty after a foul on forward Bryan Mbeumo.
“Many people want to believe, or make others believe, that we get advantages from the referees. We are the team to beat, so people will try to find every possible reason to say that Morocco is favored,” Regragui said.
Morocco’s semifinal win against Nigeria was also tinged with controversy.
“The referee was dreadful. He made really bad decisions and it’s truly painful to see referees like that in a big match,” said Nigeria midfielder Bright Osayi-Samuel.
Referee overwhelmed
Above all, the final and Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala were in the international spotlight.
Ndala lacked the authority to manage the crisis, according to former French international referee Bruno Derrien.
Derrien told AFP that when Senegal had a goal disallowed for a foul on Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi minutes before the penalty incident, there was “contact, but it’s very light.”
“I think he blows the whistle too quickly. If he had let play continue without sanctioning that foul, the goal would probably have been checked by VAR and likely validated,” Derrien added.
When Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf grabbed Brahim Diaz round the neck and pulled him over at a corner, Ndala eventually awarded a penalty.
Derrien said the penalty was questionable and followed a “micro-foul” at a time when the tension in the tightly-poised match was “enormous.”
Ndala was surrounded by players and staff from both teams and the hostile atmosphere was punctuated by the whistles of Moroccan spectators as he headed to consult the VAR screen.
His decision sparked the fury of the Senegal players, some of whom left the pitch in protest, delaying play for around 20 minutes.
The Congolese referee was also arguably too passive during this farcical episode because football’s rules stipulate that a player must be shown a yellow card “if he delays the restart of play” or if he deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission.
If applied, that could have led to the dismissal of several Senegalese players who were already on a yellow card.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Monday condemned “the behavior of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members,” and called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to take “appropriate measures.”
Africa Cup of Nations refereeing gets a red card
https://arab.news/nkjv9
Africa Cup of Nations refereeing gets a red card
- Most striking image of this AFCON will remain the Senegal players leaving the pitch after Morocco were awarded a penalty at the very end of the second half
- Criticism of the refereeing is particularly marked at AFCONs, but never before had the grievances taken on such proportions
Patriots reach Super Bowl in blizzard-hit 10-7 win over Broncos
LOS ANGELES, US: Quarterback Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance since the glory days of predecessor Tom Brady with a blizzard-ravaged 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday.
In a low-scoring AFC Championship game played out in brutal conditions, Maye rushed for a first-half touchdown, and painstakingly drove the ball downfield after the break to set up a decisive field goal.
No further scoring was possible in the 21 degrees F storm, with the Patriots’ white uniforms barely visible as players slipped and slid across the snow.
“We battled the elements,” said Maye.
“These conditions, it’s not great throwing the football. But hey, we do what we need to do... We’re off to the Super Bowl. Let’s go!“
The Patriots will play either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, on February 8.
The win cements a remarkable resurgence for the Patriots.
After the dominant era of the Brady dynasty that yielded six Super Bowl titles, New England have endured a painful rebuild, going 3-14 in both the previous two seasons.
But under new head coach Mike Vrabel they were a revelation this season, winning 17 games so far and topping the tough AFC East for the first time since 2019.
‘Costly’
Prior to kickoff, all eyes were on the Broncos’ perennial backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who had not thrown a pass in competitive football for two years.
The 29-year-old was thrust into the spotlight when Broncos’ first-choice Bo Nix broke his ankle in the dying moments of last weekend’s victory over the Buffalo Bills.
An understandably nervy Stidham was swiftly and repeatedly blitzed by the Patriots, throwing a wild incomplete pass on an opening drive that ended with a punt.
Moments later his epic 54-yard hurl to Marvin Mims Jr paid off spectacularly, caught deep downfield. Stidham then found Courtland Sutton for the opening TD.
Stidham grew in confidence as the first half progressed, without adding to the lead. The Broncos declined a straightforward field goal attempt at 4th&1 on New England’s 14-yard line, and gave up a turnover on downs.
Then disaster struck, as Stidham fumbled on the Broncos’ 14-yard line for a turnover. Maye, who had been struggling badly, rushed for a touchdown and a 7-7 half-time score.
The fumble would prove “costly,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton admitted after the game.
‘Sick’
The dense snowstorm descended on Denver at the break, making passing difficult and forcing both teams to rely on their run games.
An attritional 18-play drive lasting nearly 10 minutes led to a field goal and slender lead for New England.
The conditions became almost comically treacherous, with multiple players slipping and sliding on nearly every barely-visible play.
Both sides missed multiple field goals in swirling cross-winds, including one blocked by Patriots tackle Leonard Taylor’s fingertips.
With the two-minute warning looming, Stidham attempted a hugely risky 30-yard pass and gave away an interception that proved vital in whiteout conditions.
“It was good at first, and then snow started coming down, wind blowing, I couldn’t see,” said defensive tackle Milton Williams.
“I’m coughing. I’m probably sick right now. But none of that matters. All that matters is that we won the game and we’re going to the Bowl.”
The Patriots, who already boasted the most Super Bowl appearances with 11, will now have their twelfth showing on American football’s biggest stage, and a chance to vie for a record seventh Lombardi trophy.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls playing alongside Brady for the Patriots, would be the first person to win the sport’s ultimate prize as a player and coach for the same franchise.
“I won’t win it — it’ll be the players that will win the game, I promise you,” said Vrabel.
