Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said it was possible his players were distracted by a controversial penalty, however the squad is looking to do something good in Gabon.
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said it was possible his players were distracted by a controversial penalty and switched off at a vital moment to allow South Africa a second goal in their 2018 World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Cisse said the penalty decision proved crucial in determining the outcome of the game as the highly fancied West Africans went down 2-1 to Bafana Bafana in Polokwane.
“If you look at the (television) images is clear it was not a penalty so perhaps they lost focus because if it‚” he said.
But Cisse refused to make any direct comment about the decision of Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey to award Bafana a 43rd minute spot kick for no apparent reason.
Thulani Hlatshwayo successfully converted the kick to give South Africa the lead after which Thulani Serero quickly made it 2-0.
“We are playing in Africa‚ we have to adapt to the things we know will happen. We don’t have an excuse. But there is no point in going on about the refereeing. It is clear to all what happened.
“It was a difficult loss that turned on one or two moments in the game. We battled in the first half with our attacking qualities but did force a lot of turnovers in the midfield.
We were solid at the back in both the first and the second half‚” he added.
Cisse said Senegal wasted several good second half changes to turn around the deficit and potentially go on and win the game.
“We had a big presence in the second half‚ we circulate the ball well and we go behind their defence. I think we deserved to get something out of the match.”
Asked whether the first defeat this year for Senegal would be a blow to his squad’s morale going into January’s African Nations cup finals‚ Cisse added: “It won’t dampen our spirits.
"I think my players are professional and they have tasted both victory and defeat at the highest level.
"It’s true we didn’t win and that’s a big upset for us‚ we are disappointed‚ but I’ve said before that this qualifier series is still in its infancy.
"We have an important game next at home to Burkina Faso and it is only at the end of the qualifiers that we will know what happens.
"But the Nations Cup is a different matter and I can assure everyone that mentally we might be sad now but this squad is looking to do something good in Gabon.” -
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