AFCON: Senegal Frustrate Morocco’s 50-Year Wait For Title, Win Rowdy Final 1-0
An astonishing, emotional AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco was marred by controversy and supporter violence on Sunday, as Pape Gueye fired Senegal to the title in extra time.
Triumph guaranteed Senegal their second AFCON title following success in 2022 against Egypt, while a tournament that had promised to be the end of Morocco’s 50-year wait for a Nations Cup title ultimately ended in bitter disappointment amidst shocking scenes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Gueye struck the winner after Morocco’s Brahim Díaz missed a penalty in the 20th minute of second-half stoppage time, with Senegal going on to win 1-0.
The match was overshadowed by violent altercations between Senegal supporters and Moroccan authorities, as well as both teams, after a VAR decision in stoppage time.
The contest descended into controversy and violence in second-half injury time after a pair of refereeing decisions that ruled out a Senegal goal at one end and then awarded a Morocco penalty at the other following a VAR assessment.
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala’s second VAR ruling led to a melee between the two sets of technical teams and players, which bled into the terraces, with Senegal’s Gaindé supporter group appearing to start jumping over the hoardings and onto the field in order to confront the officials and Moroccan delegation.
Stewards and riot police were forced to intervene, belatedly creating a barrier between the fans and the pitch, with projectiles being thrown onto the turf, and the Senegalese supporters jumping onto the electronic boardings and dismantling the display down one side of the pitch.
Several Senegal fans were removed by authorities, while one steward was taken out on a stretcher after appearing to sustain an injury to his upper body.
During the fracas, the Teranga Lions left the pitch upon instruction from head coach Pape Thiaw — although it wasn’t clear whether it was due to security reasons or in a protest at the referee’s decision to belatedly award a penalty after El Hadji Malick Diouf put his hands on Diaz in the box in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Amidst further on-field scrapping between Ismael Saibari and Abdoulaye Seck, and a booking for Édouard Mendy for appearing to scuff up the penalty spot, Diaz eventually stepped up to take the spotkick, but, overspilling with emotion, lacked all conviction and his disastrous Panenka attempt was easily claimed by the Teranga Lions goalkeeper.
It took the game to extra time, where Gueye’s thunderous strike was enough for Senegal to win their second AFCON crown, with Morocco missing out on the chance to end their 50-year wait for a continental title with fairytale victory on home soil.
Pape Gueye scored soon for Senegal after the penalty, with Morocco not yet getting their heads back in the game.
It was the first time Morocco had been truly prised apart by a team in open play during this tournament, with the palpable tension in the Prince Moulay Abdallah growing ever heavier as Senegal appeared increasingly unfazed by the relentless whistling from the majority home supporters whenever they touched the ball.
On the final whistle, Senegal ran over to celebrate with their besieged supporters, still barracked by multiplied rows of riot police and stadium officials, while Morocco’s players, shattered, collapsed to the ground apparently in a collective state of shock.
ESPN
