CAF African Cup of Nations
Senegal 0 – 0 Morocco AET
Brahim Diaz had to wait 17 minutes to take his penalty in second-half stoppage time and sent his Panenka attempt straight into the arms of Edouard Mendy (Getty Images)
Pape Gueye’s extra-time goal was enough to seal a second Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title for Senegal, after chaotic scenes at the end of regulation time. the West Africans leave the field and Brahim Diaz miss a penalty for Morocco in the 24th minute of added time.
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The long delay came after the penalty was awarded via video assistant referee (VAR) intervention, sparking angry scenes on the touchline and in the crowd, with Senegalese fans clashing with security after trying to enter the pitch.
Having waited so long to take his penalty, Diaz was under immense pressure, having had the chance to end his country’s 50-year wait to win the Afcon Trophy with essentially the last kick of the match, but his decision to kick the ball down the middle backfired horribly as Edouard Mendy was able to hold on and recover in embarrassingly simple fashion.
After 90 minutes largely devoid of obvious scoring opportunities, the unsavory scenes at the end were bad publicity for African football, particularly when Morocco presented this tournament as a test event to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Chances presented themselves on both sides after Gueye’s goal four minutes into extra time, but Morocco came closest to equalizing when Nayef Aguerd powered a header against the bar from a corner.
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And as the rain poured down in Rabat, Morocco’s dream of a first continental crown since 1976 was washed away in dramatic fashion.
Referee at center of late drama
Jean-Jacques Ndala’s decision to award Morocco a penalty after consulting his on-field monitor led to chaotic scenes in Rabat as Senegal contested the call (Getty Images)
Senegal were understandably jubilant at the end, having found a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but the sight of the celebrating players separated from their supporters by massed ranks of police in riot gear spoke volumes about how this match ended.
Having won a first title by beat Egypt on penalties during the 2021 edition, many of the same players returned here for a second bite of the cherry, including talisman Sadio Mane, who widely hinted that this would be his last appearance at an Afcon.
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But unlike Cameroon, the Teranga Lions this time faced the hosts and the fiery atmosphere of the impressive Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium.
A first-ever meeting between the two teams in the final saw Morocco take the lead in the first half, but Senegal had the better openings.
Yassine Bounou made a good save at his far post to deny Gueye’s header from a corner, while the African Goalkeeper of the Year also denied Iliman Ndiaye with a back leg.
The start of the second half saw a fiery Morocco exert greater dominance, pushing their opponents back but still struggling to create clear-cut chances.
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In fact, the Atlas Lions got lucky early in added time when Ismaila Sarr sent the ball into the net after Abdoulaye Seck’s initial header came back off the woodwork following a corner.
However, referee Jean Jacques Ndala had already blown the whistle, awarding a very light foul for contact between Seck and Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi.
Senegal thought they had taken the lead thanks to Ismaila Sarr but Ndala had already blown away for a foul by Abdoulaye Seck (far left) on Achrak Hakimi (bottom) (Getty Images)
But that was only the beginning of the drama, as what followed will inevitably be what this game will be remembered for.
With eight minutes initially added, VAR advised Ndala to check a shot from West Ham defender El Hadji Malick Diouf on Diaz from a corner, with the Congolese deciding to award the spot-kick.
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What started as violent complaints from the Senegalese players quickly degenerated into chaos on the touchline as both benches emptied onto the field.
After facing his counterpart Walid Regragui, Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw called his players into the tunnel, while West African fans, some brandishing metal chairs, also tried to force their way onto the playing surface.
After a long delay, with Mané being the only Teranga Lions player who seemed genuinely uncomfortable with the withdrawal, everyone returned to the field and Diaz was finally able to take his penalty for what should have been a moment of celebration for his country.
But when history called, the Real Madrid man tried to put on a show with a Panenka and paid the price in a way he will probably never forget.
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Morocco refuses coronation
Senegalese striker Sadio Mané declared before the final that it would be his last appearance at the CAN, and he received the captain’s armband during the trophy presentation (Getty Images)
Morocco, the first African team in the world rankings, participated in this tournament. feel like you’re having a date with destiny.
For more than a decade, King Mohammed VI has invested huge sums of money in the game, using it as a tool for societal and cultural change, a move that helped the Atlas Lions become the first African nation to reach a Qatar 2022 World Cup semi-final.
But this Afcon was supposed to be their greatest achievement, the moment to end a long trophy drought dating back to 1976.
Instead, they become only the fourth hosts to lose in the final, having seen the last 12 who reached the final become champions.
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The moment that broke their hearts came from Villarreal man Gueye, an imposing midfielder who was one of the standout players of the tournament.
After popping up just inside the Moroccan half, he ignored a tired challenge from Hakimi just outside the box and sent a left-footed rocket into the top right corner, clipping the underside of the bar on his entry.
Morocco did their best to fight back, substitute Youssef En-Nesyri ducking to head just wide at the near post 10 minutes after Gueye’s goal and Aguerd’s header off the bar that followed in the second half of extra time.
But Senegal also had an opportunity to extend their lead, with Paris St-Germain teenager Ibrahim Mbaye’s slalom run and shot blocked by a rushing Hakimi and Cherif Ndiaye denied by a brilliant double save from Bounou.
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At the other end, Mendy was pelted with missiles thrown by fans behind his goal, with one invader entering the pitch next to the former Chelsea keeper before security managed to force him away.
The recriminations over how this match ended will last for some time yet, but Senegal are unlikely to care.
If this is to be Mané’s last Afcon, he bowed out in style, and the sight of him hoisted on his teammates’ shoulders, trophy in hand and handed the captain’s armband, will hopefully last longer.
