In one of the most bizarre and contentious finals in football history, Senegal were crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions after a match that descended into utter chaos, featuring a mass walk-off, physical altercations with ball boys, and a dramatic last-gasp penalty miss.
The Final Descends Into Farce
The climax of a tournament praised for its infrastructure was utterly undermined by breathtakingly bad officiating, according to observers. The flashpoint came in the eighth minute of added time when referee Jean-Jacques Ngambo awarded Morocco a highly controversial penalty. The decision, described as "Andrex-soft", incensed the Senegalese bench so profoundly that head coach Pape Thiaw led most of his players off the pitch in protest.
This prompted a 15-minute delay, leaving Moroccan striker Brahim Díaz with an agonising wait to take what could have been the tournament-winning kick. When play finally resumed, Senegal's substitute goalkeeper, Yehvann Diouf, emerged as an unlikely hero. Despite not playing a minute in the tournament, Diouf spent the delay literally fighting off Moroccan ball boys and substitutes who repeatedly tried to steal the towel used by first-choice keeper Édouard Mendy to dry his gloves.
Díaz's Agony and Mendy's Heroics
When the penalty was finally taken, Díaz's effort was a feeble Panenka, gently floated into the arms of Mendy. The save was so comfortable that commentators noted Mendy could have held it even with butter-smeared gloves. The miss crushed Díaz, who moments later had to collect the tournament's Golden Boot trophy from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, looking a "genuinely broken man." Conspiracy theories suggesting a deliberate miss for sportsmanship were dismissed by Mendy, who scoffed, "No of course not. Let's be serious."
Senegal eventually triumphed courtesy of a Papa Gueye rocket in the subsequent period of play, but their victory was immediately overshadowed by the preceding antics. The Teranga Lions now face potential sanctions from governing bodies for their petulant walk-off.
Fallout and Condemnation
FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) were swift to condemn the behaviour. Gianni Infantino criticised the Senegalese team's conduct, stating, "It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport, it is simply not right." CAF promised an investigation and "appropriate action" against those found guilty of misconduct.
Amid the turmoil, Senegal's star Sadio Mané, named the tournament's best player, was instrumental in averting total disaster. He was credited with persuading his teammates to return to the pitch, preventing a forfeit. "I think it would be crazy to not play this game," Mané later stated, highlighting the importance of seeing the match through despite grievances.
The final, while producing a memorable champion, will be forever remembered for its unprecedented scenes of disorder, casting a long shadow over Senegal's moment of glory and leaving Moroccan hero Díaz in despair.
