Senegal were crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions for the second time after defeating hosts Morocco in a dramatic final that was overshadowed by controversy, crowd unrest and a temporary walk-off by the Senegalese players.
The match, played in Rabat, remained goalless deep into stoppage time before referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty in the 98th minute following a VAR review. The decision sparked furious protests from the Senegal bench and players, culminating in head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his team to leave the pitch.
Ndala had been advised by the video assistant referee to review defender El Hadji Malick Diouf’s challenge on Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz. After consulting the pitchside monitor, the official pointed to the spot.
Senegal’s anger was heightened by an earlier decision to disallow a goal from Ismaila Sarr, which was ruled out for a foul by Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi in the build-up.
Amid chaotic scenes, several Senegal players walked down the tunnel as objects were thrown from the stands and some supporters attempted to enter the pitch. Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane remained on the field, urging his team-mates to return and finish the match.
After a delay of approximately 17 minutes, the players eventually came back out.
Morocco were handed a golden opportunity to win the final, with Diaz — the tournament’s top scorer with five goals — stepping up to take the penalty. However, his attempted Panenka was comfortably saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who barely had to move.
Referee Ndala immediately blew for full-time, sending the match into extra time.
Just four minutes into the additional period, Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye struck the decisive goal to secure Senegal’s second Afcon title in five years, crushing Morocco’s hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time since 1976.
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui condemned Senegal’s conduct after the game, describing their decision to leave the pitch as “shameful” and saying it did not “honour Africa”.
Thiaw, whose post-match media conference was cancelled after disorder broke out in the press room, later admitted he had made a mistake.
“We didn’t agree,” he told BeIN Sport. “I apologise for football. After reflecting, I made them come back. You can react in the heat of the moment.
“We accept the errors of the referee. We shouldn’t have done it, but it’s done and now we present our apologies to football.”
Sadio Mane also criticised the incident, stressing the importance of protecting the image of the sport.
“The world was watching,” Mane said. “We have to give a good image for football. I would rather lose than see this kind of thing happen to African football.
“Football should not stop for 10 minutes. But the good thing is that we came back and finished the game.”
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy said the team’s unity was key to their success.
“We came back together and we won together,” he said. “That’s all that matters. We can be proud.”
Match-winner Gueye echoed those sentiments, revealing Mane played a crucial role in calming the squad.
“We felt injustice,” Gueye said. “But Sadio told us to come back. Edouard made the save, we stayed focused, scored and won.”
The chaotic finale cast a shadow over what had otherwise been a well-organised tournament, praised for its infrastructure and logistics as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
The incident unfolded in front of Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who was in attendance to present the trophy.
In the build-up to the final, Senegal had already raised concerns about their treatment, citing security issues, hotel conditions, limited ticket allocations and a lack of access to training facilities. The Senegal Football Federation said players and staff were placed “at risk” after being swarmed by fans upon arrival in Rabat.
Former Nigeria international Efan Ekoku criticised Senegal’s walk-off, calling it “not a good look for African football”, while John Obi Mikel said he understood the frustration but insisted leaving the pitch was unacceptable.
Despite the controversy, Senegal emerged victorious — and while the final may be remembered for its chaos, Mane’s leadership and Mendy’s decisive penalty save ultimately defined the outcome.