Cisse accepts Senegal’s fate
KAZAN: Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said he “accepted the rules of the game” as the west Africans were eliminated due to a worse disciplinary record than their direct rivals for a place in the last 16.
“It’s the law of football,” said Cisse. “We didn’t qualify because we’ve earned more yellow cards, but I’m proud of my lads, they’ve worked hard for this tournament and I think we’ve showed we can have a bright future.”
Former Senegal international Cisse refused to play the blame game.
‘AWARE OF RULES’
He said his players were aware of the rules but he had refused to tell them to adapt their game accordingly.
“It’s the rules of the game, they’ve been established by FIFA and we have to respect it, even though we would have liked to have been eliminated another way,” he said.
M’baye Niang was the only Senegal player cautioned in a decisive 1-0 defeat to Colombia in Samara, where Barcelona defender Yerry Mina headed the south Americans’ winner on 77 minutes.
Cisse said he had not asked his players to change their game.
“I think the players knew all about it,” he said.
“I’m not going to ask my players to go on the pitch and try to avoid being issued yellow cards. Football is a contact game,” said Cisse.