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Senegal have won the Africa Cup of Nations after a dramatic 1–0 victory over hosts Morocco in a tense final overshadowed by a controversial penalty decision and heated protests.
The decisive moment of controversy came late in normal time when Morocco were awarded a penalty following a tussle in the box involving Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Díaz. After a lengthy VAR review, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala pointed to the spot, triggering angry reactions from Senegal’s players and technical team.
In protest, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to walk off the pitch. Captain Sadio Mané was seen appealing to his teammates as they moved toward the tunnel, with Mané later sprinting inside as tensions escalated.
Senegal’s frustration was heightened by the earlier disallowed goal by Ismaïla Sarr, which they believed should have stood. Moments after that decision, Díaz went down under a challenge from El Hadji Malick Diouf, leading to the penalty award.
As chaos unfolded, some Senegal supporters invaded the pitch, forcing riot police to intervene before order was restored. After several minutes of stoppage, Senegal returned to the field.
The penalty was eventually taken by Díaz in the 113th minute, but his effort was weak and comfortably saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Several Senegal players, including Sarr and Diouf, were booked in the aftermath, while Mendy also received a yellow card following a confrontation with match officials.
Díaz appeared visibly shaken and was consoled by teammates as the match moved into extra time. Morocco coach Walid Regragui substituted him at the restart, but the hosts struggled to regain momentum.
Just five minutes into extra time, Senegal took the lead through Pape Gueye, a goal that ultimately proved decisive. Despite torrential rain and objects being thrown onto the pitch by sections of the home crowd, Senegal defended resolutely to secure the title.
At the final whistle, Senegal’s players collapsed in celebration, sealing one of the most dramatic AFCON victories in recent history. Morocco, meanwhile, saw their wait for a continental title extend to 50 years.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel later weighed in on the controversy, admitting he understood Senegal’s frustration but criticised the decision to walk off the pitch.
