For one still so young, West Ham’s booming left back El Hadji Malick Diouf has had a pretty sensational last few weeks encompassing all of the highs and lows of football- all within a few minutes. The AFCON celebrations that followed his Senegal side winning the trophy in dramatic fashion, the serenading by his team mates when he arrived back at Rush Green as a trophy winner – does show only one side of what was a pretty torrid experience for the 21 year old.
For remember, it was Malick who gave away the ‘improbable’ penalty which led to his opponents Morocco having the chance to snatch the game in the last seconds – and a pitch walk-off in protest at the decision by his Senegal team mates. According to sportwitness.co.uk, Malick has revealed what his goalkeeper Edouardu Mendy said to him as the youngster stood in his private hell having conceded the penalty:
“Edou told me: ‘Malick, lift your head, I’m going to save the penalty,” he said.
“At that moment, I thought he was just going to reassure me… but well, I wasn’t thinking straight, I was thinking about all the Senegalese people, about my family. It was difficult, and he really reassured me.
“When he saved it, we didn’t even try to go to the goalkeeper to celebrate. It was the moment to win. We knew we were going to win the match after that penalty. For them, it was a moment of doubt; for us, it was the moment to score.
“I thank Édou. I’m speechless. For me, he’s the best goalkeeper in African history. There’s no question about it.”
An amazing story within a controversial final: For Diouf a fantastic end to a tournament that he’ll never forget and one which I suspect put about ten years on him mentally during the course of 120 minutes! West Ham will no doubt benefit from his ‘old head on young shoulders’: And perhaps he’ll think twice next time before draping an arm casually over an opponent in his own penalty box and inviting VAR to do its worst.