Senegal's dramatic Africa Cup of Nations final victory over hosts Morocco has been overshadowed by a major controversy, with the champions now facing likely sanctions for walking off the pitch in protest at a late penalty decision.
The Walk-Off That Stopped the Final
The extraordinary incident occurred during the final in Rabat. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, with the score level, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) advised the on-field official to award a penalty to Morocco. This came shortly after Senegal had a potential winning goal ruled out.
In response, Senegal's head coach, Pape Thiaw, led his entire team off the field in protest. The players remained in the dressing room for approximately 16 minutes before eventually returning to complete the match. Upon resumption, Morocco's Brahim Díaz missed the crucial spot-kick, and the game went to extra time, where a spectacular strike from Pape Gueye secured the trophy for Senegal.
Official Condemnation and Looming Sanctions
The tournament organisers, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), have strongly criticised the Senegalese team's actions. In an official statement, CAF said it "condemns the unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials" during the final.
The statement continued, emphasising that the body "strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers." CAF confirmed it is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to its competent disciplinary bodies for appropriate action against those found responsible.
The condemnation was echoed at the highest level of world football. FIFA President Gianni Infantino released a statement saying, "We also witnessed unacceptable scenes on the field... It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner." He stressed that violence and such protests cannot be tolerated and that match officials' decisions must always be respected.
Mixed Reactions from the Camps
Within the Senegal camp, reactions were divided. Star forward Sadio Mané appeared reluctant to join the walk-off and later expressed his dismay at the prospect of the final being abandoned. "It would have been a shame and sad to see this kind of scenario happen," Mané told reporters. "I think it would be crazy to not play this game." He argued that such an act would project a negative image of African football, which has evolved impressively and gained a global audience.
Coach Pape Thiaw later apologised for his decision, attributing it to the heat of the moment. "After reflecting on it, I made them come back... 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," he explained in a post-match interview.
Morocco's head coach, Walid Regragui, offered a stinging critique, labelling Thiaw's decision as "shameful" and stating that "the image we’ve given of Africa is shameful."
The fallout from the final continues, with Senegal's historic win now indelibly linked to the unprecedented walk-off. The focus shifts to CAF's disciplinary process, which will determine the formal consequences for the newly crowned champions' conduct on African football's biggest night.
