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 normal time saw the West Africans walk off the pitch and Brahim Diaz miss a penalty for Morocco in the 24th minute of injury time.
The lengthy delay came after the spot kick was awarded via the intervention of the video assistant referee (VAR), sparking angry scenes on the touchline and in the crowd, with Senegal fans clashing with security after attempting to break on to the pitch.
After waiting so long to take his penalty, Diaz was under immense pressure, having been handed the chance to end his country’s 50-year wait to lift the Afcon trophy with essentially the final kick of the game, but his decision to chip the ball down the middle backfired horrendously as Edouard Mendy was able to stand his ground and collect in embarrassingly simple fashion.
After 90 minutes which were largely devoid of obvious goalscoring opportunities, the unsavoury scenes at the end were a poor advert for African football, especially with Morocco talking up this tournament as a test event for co-hosting the 2030 Fifa World Cup.
Chances did come at both ends after Gueye’s strike four minutes into extra time, but the closest Morocco came to an equaliser was when Nayef Aguerd powered a header against the bar from a corner.
And as the rain poured down in Rabat, Morocco’s dream of a first continental crown since 1976 was washed away in dramatic fashion.
Senegal were understandably jubilant at the end, having somehow found a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but the sight of celebrating players being separated from their supporters by massed ranks of police in riot gear said everything about the way this game finished.
Having won a first title by beating Egypt on penalties at the 2021 edition, many of the same players returned here for a second bite of the cherry, including talisman Sadio Mane, who has hinted heavily that this will be his last appearance at an Afcon.
But unlike in Cameroon, this time the Teranga Lions were up against the hosts and the fiery atmosphere inside the impressive Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
