Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time to win the Africa Cup of Nations final, but the match was marred by controversy. Frustrated by a late disallowed goal followed by a penalty awarded against them, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw led his players in a walkout attempt, which was eventually called off by captain Sadio Mané.
Despite the controversial nature of the incident, Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, voiced his support for Pape Thiaw’s decision in a media interview: “I was suspended for four matches for refusing a decision. Emotions can be hard to control. During Cameroon’s game against Morocco, I was so agitated that a compatriot suggested I take the team off the pitch. In the heat of the moment, I might have made the same choice, so I won’t criticize the Senegal coach. On the contrary, he had the courage to protect his team, and that risk was worth taking.”
On the potential punishment facing the Senegal coach, Eto’o said: “Those in charge of the investigation will do their job, but emotions are inevitable in football.”
To prevent similar unpleasant incidents and avoid damaging the image of African football, Eto’o called for the introduction of VAR: “We need to do everything to avoid more outbursts. So what can we do? Maybe we need to bring in VAR. There’s nothing to lose by verifying facts in matches. I believe if we do this, emotions will be better controlled.”
