Senegal on Sunday night defeated host Morocco to emerge the 2026 AFCON champions in Rabat Morocco after a dramatic final which saw head coach Pape Thiaw direct his players off the pitch in apparent protest over a late penalty awarded to Morocco in the dying minutes of normal time.
The West African country beat the host country by a lone goal scored in extra time after the two sides played out a goaless draw after ninety minutes of pulsating football and controversial officiating.
Pape Gueye fired home a stunning strike in extra-time in one of the most dramatic finals ever seen – including a disallowed goal for Senegal, Morocco star Brahim Diaz’s missed Panenka penalty and violent clashes between fans and riot police in Rabat.
Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz went down tussling for the ball in the box, with the referee Jean-Jacques Ndala and VAR taking their time over the decision to award the spot kick.
After Ndala consulted the monitor, Morocco were awarded the penalty, but the decision over whether it was deserved boiled over into a row between players and coaches – with Thiaw then calling his squad off.
Former Liverpool icon Sadio Mane appealed to his team-mates as they made their way down the tunnel, with some wavering over whether they should leave or not.
Mane eventually departed by the tunnel, and was seen sprinting towards the dressing room.
Senegal had earlier had what they believed to be a late winner from Ismaila Sarr chalked off for a foul in the build-up, further adding to the feeling of bad luck amongst the side when Diaz was downed by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
During the melee, scores of Senegal fans even made their way onto the pitch, breaking through the advertising boards before they were rounded up by riot police.
Senegal were later convinced back onto the pitch, with the penalty kick eventually taken by Diaz in the 113th minute – 17 minutes after he was fouled.
The 26-year-old stepped up to the spot but his dismal Panenka attempt flew straight into Edouard Mendy’s gloves.
Ndala added a number of Senegalese players to the book in the midst of melee, with Sarr and Diouf both booked for their part in the fury that following the awarding of the penalty.
As Mendy came out of the dressing room with his team-mates after taking part in Thiaw’s protest, he too was handed a yellow card for arguing with the referee.
But it was Diaz who seemed most impacted by the extraordinary scenes, compelled to attempt a Panenka that had no hope of bypassing the former Chelsea goalkeeper.
Diaz was quickly surrounded by his team-mates as Ndala blew up for the end of the 90 minutes, and appeared to be on the brink of tears after squandering his chance of winning the tournament for the hosts.
Diaz’s manager Walid Regragui, who had gone to lengths to calm his opposite number Thiaw before he whisked his players down the tunnel, did not cut a sympathetic figure however, with his side now forced to endure extra time – and within the opening five minutes after the restart, Pape Gueye scored for Senegal.
Regragui deemed his player’s race run, with Diaz substituted at the start of the 30 added minutes.
As the second-half of extra time drew to a close, the players were forced to contend with torrential rain, and missiles thrown onto the pitch from the home fans in the direction of Mendy’s goal.
But Senegal clung on, with players collapsing in ecstasy on the sodden pitch after the most dramatic reversals of fortune.
Morocco, meanwhile, will see their 50-year wait to get their hands on the trophy roll on.
Pundits including Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel were left aghast by the protest – but also stressed that they believed the penalty decision was unjustified.
‘I can understand their frustration,’ Obi Mikel said on E4. ‘But walking off the pitch is not what I want to see.’
Former Nigeria striker Efan Ekoku added: ‘You cannot do that. However aggrieved you feel… I have got some sympathy, but this is not a good look.
‘I think it was foolish and reckless by El Hadji Malick Diouf, but the decision has been made and the players have to abide by that. Whatever happens now is not a good look for African football.’
On the penalty, he wondered ‘what Brahim Diaz (was) doing’ and called him ‘too clever for his own good.’
‘To do that is absolutely ridiculous. He may never ever get another chance to score a winning goal in an AFCON final,’ he continued.
With Mail Football report
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