Senegal Survive Controversial Penalty to Lift AFCON 2025

Duro Ikhazuagbe  in Rabat

Pape Gueye’s stunning goal in extra time was all Senegal needed to win the 35th Africa Cup of Nations final against hosts Morocco in Rabat last night.

Before that goal came, Brahim Diaz had missed the opportunity to win the trophy for the Atlas Lions when he played the resultant penalty from a controversial call into the waiting hands of Edouard Mendy.

Senegal temporarily refused to finish the AFCON final after hosts Morocco were awarded the controversial stoppage-time penalty with the game level at 0-0.

Senegal head coach, Pape Thiaw, tried to usher his team off the field in the 98th-minute when the hosts were awarded a spot-kick when defender El Hadji Malick Diouf brought down Brahim Diaz.

The Real Madrid forward stepped up to take the penalty when the players returned to the field, but had his attempted panenka penalty saved.

Thiaw, 44, was irritated with referee Jean Jacques Ndala – who awarded the penalty after reviewing the incident on the VAR monitor – for ruling out a goal for his side moments earlier.

Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr had bundled home from close-range, but his effort was chalked off after a foul from Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi.

Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy went to the dressing room, but returned to the field with Sadio Mane trying to encourage his players to finish the game.

Ndala blew the full-time whistle immediately after and Senegal opened the scoring through Pape Gueye four minutes into extra time.