Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after walking off pitch in controversial AFCON final
The Teranga Lions of Senegal on Sunday defeated the Atlas Lions of Morocco 1-0 to claim their second Africa Cup of Nations championship title.
The Senegalese had earlier stormed off the field in protest, after a penalty was controversially awarded against them towards the end of normal time, before returning to beat the host country Morocco during the 30-minute extra time.
Morocco’s star player Brahim Diaz missed a unique chance to break the country’s 50-year wait in lifting the AFCON trophy by missing the penalty which was finally taken after a 14-minute delay.
Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw had ordered his players off the pitch, after the penalty was awarded following a VAR check by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala.
The decision resulted in heated altercations between players from both sides as well as the fans, as the Senegalese walked off the football pitch. Senegal star player Sadio Mane was able to persuade his team mates to return to the pitch.
The Senegal team had initially protested the referee’s decision to disallow a goal they scored in the second added minute, awarding a foul instead to the Moroccans.
Once the players returned to the field, Diaz’s soft penalty attempt was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Senegal would go on to score four minutes into the first period of extra time after Pape Gueye beat goalkeeper Yassine Bounou with a superb strike, thereby crashing the Moroccans’ dream of winning the title in front of their own fans while also ending their 50-year wait.
Morocco pressed desperately for an equaliser, but the Senegalese ensured the lead was protected.
It would be Senegal’s second Cup of Nations title in the last three editions, after defeating Egypt on penalties in 2022 to win the trophy for the first time.
The team would now be heading triumphantly to the United States in June where they would compete at the World Cup.
