Senegal secured their second Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) crown on Sunday, defeating hosts Morocco 1 to 0 after extra time in a final marred by controversy and chaos at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Pape Gueye delivered the decisive moment just three minutes into extra time, unleashing a stunning left footed strike from the edge of the area that flew beyond Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into the top corner. The goal sent the Senegalese bench into raptures while silencing a crowd of 66,526 desperate for a long awaited home triumph.
The match had remained scoreless through 90 minutes before descending into unprecedented controversy. Morocco were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review after Brahim Diaz went down under a challenge from El Hadji Malick Diouf. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players to leave the pitch, and most complied, with only captain Sadio Mane initially remaining on the field.
Play stopped for 14 minutes as Senegalese supporters clashed with security forces and fans attempted to storm the pitch. Mane consulted with officials, Moroccan players and former Senegal coach Claude Le Roy before going to the dressing room to convince his teammates to return. The team eventually came back to complete the match, averting what would have been the first abandonment of a major international final.
When play resumed, Diaz attempted an audacious panenka style penalty but goalkeeper Edouard Mendy read the chipped effort perfectly and caught the ball with ease, sending the final into extra time. The Real Madrid winger, who finished the tournament as top scorer with five goals, was promptly substituted after the miss.
Extra time began with renewed Senegalese intensity. Sadio Mane won possession in midfield and found Idrissa Gana Gueye, who released his namesake Pape Gueye. The Villarreal midfielder held off Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi as he advanced toward the box before beating Bounou with a superb strike that proved unstoppable.
Morocco pressed desperately for an equalizer. Diaz nearly redeemed his penalty miss with a close range effort saved by Mendy, while Youssef En Nesyri came inches away with a diving header that drifted narrowly wide. Nayef Aguerd headed against the crossbar in the second half of extra time, but the hosts could not find a breakthrough.
Senegal could have doubled their lead late when Pape Cherif Ndiaye was played through by Mane, but Bounou brilliantly saved the initial effort from 12 yards. The rebound fell to Ndiaye again in front of an open goal, yet somehow he put it wide in an unbelievable missed opportunity.
The Teranga Lions controlled the tempo in the first half and created clearer chances. Bounou was called into action early, reacting sharply to keep out Gueye’s back post header from a corner before producing a brilliant one on one save to deny Iliman Ndiaye. Morocco’s best first half opportunity came five minutes before the break when Aguerd narrowly failed to connect with Abdessamad Ezzalzouli’s teasing cross that flashed across the face of goal.
The Atlas Lions emerged with renewed purpose after the interval. Ayoub El Kaabi was presented with a golden chance when Bilal El Khannouss threaded a defense splitting pass through the Senegal back line, but the forward could not keep his effort on target. Morocco pressed relentlessly yet couldn’t find their cutting edge in the final third.
Senegal, dangerous on the counter, almost struck late in normal time. In the 89th minute, substitute Ibrahim Mbaye curled an effort towards the far corner, only for Bounou to produce another full stretch save to keep the contest level.
Earlier controversy erupted when Senegal thought they had scored in stoppage time. Ismaila Sarr found the net, but Congolese referee Jean Jacques Ndala disallowed the goal for a foul by Abdoulaye Seck on Hakimi without consulting VAR, a decision that clearly incensed coach Thiaw and set the stage for later protests.
Pape Gueye was named TotalEnergies Man of the Match. He stated afterward that it was a very complicated match and that after Morocco missed the penalty, Senegal stayed focused, played their game and showed Senegalese football. Scoring in a final is a moment of pride for me, Gueye said. The Senegal national team now has a second star.
Mane was named Best Player of the tournament, contributing two goals and three assists throughout the competition. He created the most chances from open play with 18 and reached a historic 20 career AFCON goal involvements, consisting of 11 goals and nine assists since detailed tracking began in 2010. Bounou won Best Goalkeeper despite the defeat.
The victory marks Senegal’s second AFCON title in three editions after defeating Egypt on penalties in Yaounde in 2022 to win the trophy for the first time in their history. They now look forward to the World Cup in June, though coach Thiaw hopes to convince Mane to reconsider his decision that the final would be his last AFCON game.
Morocco were seeking their second title after winning in 1976, attempting to end a 50 year wait in front of their home fans. The Atlas Lions had eliminated Egypt, Ivory Coast and South Africa on their path to the final.
Coach Walid Regragui congratulated Senegal but expressed disappointment with the image given of African football. The match we had was shameful for Africa, he told reporters. What Pape Thiaw did tonight doesn’t honor Africa. He acknowledged that Diaz’s penalty execution was poor and Morocco must own that mistake.
Thiaw later accepted he was wrong to bring his players off the pitch and acted in the heat of the moment. What we felt was injustice, Gueye explained to ESPN. There had been a foul against us before and the referee chose not to look at VAR. We were frustrated.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) condemned unacceptable behavior of some players and officials during the final and promised to refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action. Any investigation will focus on the conduct of the Senegal team and their fans as well as potential shortcomings by Moroccan organizers.
The 69,500 capacity stadium emptied quickly after the final whistle. Few were left to see the Senegalese players lift the trophy as most Moroccan supporters departed in disappointment. The tournament showcased cities, infrastructure and communities across Morocco, highlighting the movement of fans and journeys that helped connect the entire country.
