RABAT: Senegal overcame extraordinary scenes and home pressure to defeat Morocco 1-0 after extra time and lift the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, following a final marred by controversy and confusion.
The match descended into farce late in normal time when a VAR review awarded Morocco a penalty five minutes into stoppage time. Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch in protest, with captain Sadio Mane playing a key role in persuading them to return after a 14-minute delay.
Morocco’s Brahim Diaz had the chance to decide the final but squandered the moment, attempting an ill-fated Panenka that was comfortably caught by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The miss proved decisive.
Just four minutes into extra time, midfielder Pape Gueye struck the winner, firing a powerful shot past Yassine Bounou to silence the home crowd. Both goalkeepers produced crucial saves in an intense, end-to-end contest, but Senegal showed greater composure when it mattered most.
The victory handed top-ranked Morocco their first defeat in 27 internationals and extended their long wait for a second AFCON title. For Senegal, champions for the second time in three editions, it was a triumph forged in resilience amid remarkable circumstances.
