Ibrahima Konate’s ‘brilliant’ displays at the Qatar World Cup have earned Liverpool’s Premier League stopper the admiration of France legend Bixente Lizarazu, via TF1.
In the build-up to Wednesday’s semi-final clash between Morocco and Didier Deschamps reigning World champions at the Al Bayt Stadium, much was made of the Atlas Lions’ concrete-carved backline. A defence which was yet to concede a single goal from an opposition player in the tournament.
But, as Nayef Aguerd limped out of the warm-up, with Romain Saiss also heading down the tunnel around 20 minutes later, the World Cup’s most watertight rear-guard was broken up at the worst possible time.
Morocco looked strangely ragged without Aguerd and Saiss patrolling the backline too, scrappy goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani ensuring that it’s France who will be going head-to-head with Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Sunday’s decider.
There was still one outstanding defensive performance on Wednesday night, however. With Aguerd and Saiss out of action, Ibrahima Konate stepped up at the other end. Thus, doing his hopes of a place in the starting XI for this weekend’s final no harm at all.
Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate was outstanding as France beat Morocco in semi-finals
“Even against Tunisia (a 1-0 group-stage defeat), he was the only one to produce a very good match. He’s a great defender. He still gave a brilliant performance,” says Lizarazu, a World Cup winner in 1998.
“(Konate) was present to cut (out danger) at the near post, and made sometimes dangerous tackles in the area. He made his athletic quality speak, his reading of the game too. It reassuring to say that we have three (high-quality) central defenders.
“If (Dayot) Upamecano cannot play the final, we know that Konate can hold the fort without any problem.”
Konate only started against Morocco because Upamecano – his former RB Leipzig partner – was unavailable through illness. Deschamps will have a difficult decision to make if Upamecano returns in time for the final then; Konate producing one of the tournament’s finest defensive performances in his old club-mates absence.
“Dayot has been ill since Saturday’s game (against England), Deschamps tells RMC. “He was able to do a session apart (from the rest of the group) on Tuesday. But hey, I was a player in my first life. Being in a feverish state like that (makes it difficult to play).
“Ibou (Konate) showed beautiful things. It seemed obvious to me (that he would play if Upamecano was absent)”
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