After Senegal was sent off in protest of a penalty decision, Pape Gueye scored in extra time for a 1-0 victory.
Senegal stormed off the field in protest of being awarded a penalty, then came back after extra time to defeat hosts Morocco 1-0 and win the Africa Cup of Nations, amid farcical scenes in the final.
Midfielder Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in the 94th minute on Sunday, after a 14-minute delay amid chaotic scenes and Morocco star Brahim Dias missing a chance for victory for the home side by missing his final penalty.
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Senegalese coach Pape Bouna Thiau ordered his players sent off, but it was talisman Sadio Mane who persuaded them to return.
A penalty was awarded after a VAR check by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala after Dias was pulled to the ground by Senegalese full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf while defending a corner kick five minutes into stoppage time.
Officials and players clashed with each other while the referee looked at the touchline screen, and again when Senegal was sent off.
As the players returned to the field, Diaz inexplicably attempted a Panenka-esque chip shot, and his soft penalty shot obediently fell into the arms of Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Senegal’s actions will be a major blow to an otherwise successful tournament, although it continues Morocco’s poor performance in the tournament, which they won just 50 years ago.
The Senegalese team was initially furious at the referee’s decision to have Abdoulaye Sekku’s header off a corner kick and Ismaila Sarr’s nod in the rebound in second-half stoppage time ruled out as a foul.
But after Diaz’s penalty miss, it seemed almost inevitable that Senegal, riding high, would score, scoring in the fourth minute of extra time to the surprise of the home fans in the crowd of 66,526 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Mane held the ball in midfield and found Idrissa Gana Gueye, releasing his namesake Pape Gueye.
The Villarreal midfielder thwarted Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi’s counterattack as he advanced towards the box and fired a stunning shot past goalkeeper Yassin Bounou into the top corner.
Morocco were distraught and Diaz in particular was quickly replaced.
In the second half of extra time, Nayef Agel’s header hit the crossbar, potentially forcing a penalty shootout.
But it did not end their 50-year wait to become African champions for the second time, as the hosts dreamed of winning the title in front of their own fans.
Senegal might have had an easier time had Cherif Ndiaye squandered a golden chance to make it 2-0 late in extra time, but they hung on.
It was their second Nations Cup win in the last three competitions, having won their first-ever trophy by defeating Egypt on penalties in Yaounde in 2022.
They are now looking forward to heading to the United States for the World Cup in June and hope to convince star man Mane, who has declared the final to be his last match in the competition, to play in another AFCON.
An investigation into the scenes during the match will focus on the actions of the Senegal team and its fans, as well as the shortcomings of the Moroccan organizers.
The incident occurred at the end of a tense final match that saw little goalmouth movement. That’s not too surprising considering the defensive strength of Africa’s best team according to FIFA rankings.
Senegal’s Iliman Ndiay had the best chance of the first half when his clean through was denied by Bounou, but Morocco should have scored with an hour left on the clock, but Ayub El Kaabi pushed Bilal El Kanous’s cross wide.
Then, in a dramatic turn of events in the closing stages, Gueye became their hero after Senegal survived a penalty. Remarkably, this goal was the first goal scored in an AFCON final by the Teranga Lions, who had failed to find the back of the net in any of their previous three appearances in the tournament decider.
It was a painful end to Morocco’s campaign, with many fans leaving the stadium before the final whistle on a cold and rainy night in Rabat.
“I really wanted to win here,” Guyet said. “It was a very difficult game, but we gave it our all.”
Moroccan national team coach Walid Reglagui said the team was “a real disappointment” for the Moroccan people.
“When you win a penalty at the last minute, victory seems close, but eventually the football catches up to you.
“We congratulate Senegal, even if what we showed in African football was disappointing given everything that happened when the penalty was awarded.”
