Morocco were left heartbroken after missing a dramatic late penalty as Senegal went on to snatch victory in extra time to win the Africa Cup of Nations final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Brahim Diaz had a golden opportunity to hand the hosts the trophy deep into stoppage time when Morocco were awarded a penalty in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal play. However, the Real Madrid winger failed to capitalise, with Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saving his weak chipped effort.
The penalty was awarded after Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala reviewed a VAR incident involving a challenge by Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf on Diaz inside the box. Although the referee initially waved play on, he later reversed his decision following the review, a move that sparked intense protests from Senegal players, officials and fans.
The delay of nearly 20 minutes before the penalty was taken appeared to unsettle Diaz, whose miss changed the momentum of the match. Senegal supporters, furious at the referee’s call, threw objects from the stands and attempted to invade the pitch before security forces restored order.
Earlier, Senegal had also been angered when a late goal was disallowed in stoppage time. Abdoulaye Seck had headed a corner against the post, with Ismaila Sarr nodding in the rebound, only for the referee to rule out the effort for a foul.
After surviving the penalty scare, Senegal grew in confidence and struck decisively in the fourth minute of extra time. Sadio Mane won possession in midfield and played the ball to Idrissa Gana Gueye, who released Pape Gueye. The Villarreal midfielder held off Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi before unleashing a stunning shot into the top corner past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Morocco came close to forcing a penalty shoot-out when Nayef Aguerd headed against the crossbar in the second half of extra time, but luck deserted the hosts once again.
Senegal could have sealed the win earlier had Cherif Ndiaye not missed a clear chance to make it 2-0 late in extra time. Nevertheless, the Lions of Teranga held firm to claim their second AFCON title in three editions, having won their first crown in 2022.
The victory was historic, marking Senegal’s first-ever goal in an AFCON final after failing to score in their previous three appearances in the tournament’s decisive match.
For Morocco, the defeat was a painful end to a campaign filled with hope, as they sought to lift the continental title at home for the first time in 50 years. Many fans left the stadium before the final whistle on a cold, wet night in Rabat.
Attention is now expected to turn to investigations into the disturbances that marred the final, focusing on crowd behaviour and security arrangements.
Despite the controversy, Senegal emerged champions and will now turn their attention to the upcoming World Cup in the United States, while hoping to convince star forward Sadio Mane to reconsider his decision to retire from AFCON football after declaring this final his last appearance at the tournament.
Late Drama as Senegal Shock Morocco to Lift AFCON Title
