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‘Shameful’: How controversial AFCON final descended into total chaos
A missed Panenka in the 24th minute of stoppage time, a team storming off the pitch and ultimately a second Africa Cup of Nations title for Senegal.
That, though, barely scratches the surface in telling the story of a truly extraordinary AFCON final on Sunday night.
Pape Gueye scored a brilliant extra-time winner to leave Morocco devastated in front of their home fans in Rabat.
Either side of that strike, total chaos ensued. Here’s what happened – and all the fallout.
For 90 minutes, it had been a typical cagey, tense final. It remained goalless heading into eight minutes of stoppage time, at which point the mayhem began.
Senegal thought they had won it when Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr nodded into the net on the rebound after Abdoulaye Seck’s header had hit the woodwork.
However, the whistle had already gone as the referee deemed Seck to have fouled Achraf Hakimi.
Replays showed that to be a harsh decision, with Hakimi going down under minimal contact, but the quick whistle meant that VAR could not intervene.
Drama: Brahim Diaz’s last-gasp Panenka penalty attempt was easily saved by Edouard Mendy
AFP via Getty Images
Morocco lucky to get penalty
A few minutes later, Morocco won a corner of their own at the other end.
West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf headed to safety, having beaten Brahim Diaz to the ball. Diaz went down theatrically and appealed for a penalty.
The referee was sent to the pitchside monitor for a VAR review and then gave the penalty, deciding that Diouf had dragged Diaz to the ground before clearing the ball.
Chaos on and off the pitch
The two benches were already clashing as the referee went to the screen and that escalated when he then pointed to the spot.
Ismaila Sarr was booked for dissent and the Senegal players did not leave the penalty area as they continued to protest the decision.
Senegal’s supporter group were sat at the other end of the stadium but they began jumping over the hoardings. Others threw chairs at stewards.
Senegal fans clash with security during the Africa Cup of Nations final
AFP via Getty Images
Riot police arrived on the scene and dragged several supporters away as clashes continued between fans and security personnel.
Gary Lineker was in the stadium and said it had “all got very horribly violent”.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw was incensed by the decision to award a penalty and waved at his players to come off the pitch in response.
The match was delayed for around 17 minutes as a result, with Sadio Mane having to go down the tunnel to urge his team-mates to come back on.
It appeared to be in doubt whether Senegal would return, but eventually the decision was made to continue the match.
Mane said after the game: “The referee can sometimes make mistakes, but we don’t know.
“We’re in the game and people judge. It could have been a penalty or not, but that wasn’t the most important thing. The most important thing was the people who were watching.
“I think that would convey a negative image of our football. I think Africa today does not deserve that.”
It was the 114th minute of the match by the time Diaz finally got his chance to step up and take the penalty.
On his return to the pitch, Edouard Mendy was booked for seemingly scuffing the spot. The ex-Chelsea goalkeeper then walked up and stood over the ball as Diaz waited to take the penalty.
Had he converted it, Diaz would have been a Moroccan legend forever. Instead, he attempted a Panenka and watched in horror as Mendy stood still and made the easiest save of his life.
Yehvann Diouf had a busy night and did not play a single minute.
The Senegal goalkeeper was tasked with protecting Mendy’s towel in wet, slippery conditions. It turned into an extraordinary sequence of events.
The Moroccan ball boys repeatedly tried to snatch the towel away from him. In one incident, Diouf was lying on his stomach with the towel underneath him as a ball boy dragged him by the back of his coat.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch in remarkable scenes
AFP via Getty Images
Diouf was eventually chased down the touchline, backpedaling as several people chased after him.
Hakimi threw another one of Mendy’s towels over the advertising hoardings, with El Hadji Malick Diouf jumping over the barrier to retrieve it.
Morocco boss Walid Regragui was unsurprisingly scathing in his response to Senegal storming off the pitch. He hit out at counterpart Thiaw.
“The image we’ve given of Africa is shameful,” Regragui said.
“A coach who asks his players to leave the field… what Pape did does not honour Africa.”
Thiaw walked into his press conference and was met by cheers from Senegalese journalists and boos from the Moroccan press.
Arguments broke out between them as Thiaw sat down waiting, before he decided to walk out without speaking as the confrontations continued.
Elsewhere, Thiaw said sorry for leading his players off the pitch.
“I apologise for the football,” he said. “After reflecting on it I made them come back [on the pitch] – you can react in the heat of the moment. We accept the errors of the referee.
“We shouldn’t have done it but it’s done and now we present our apologies to football.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport, it is simply not right.”
It read: “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) condemns the unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat last night.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organizers.
“CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.”
