Senegal won one of the most debated Africa Cup of Nations final matches over Morocco, to win the title, after a night of friction, tension, and emotional turmoil in Rabat.
The result of the drama presented Senegal with the second continental title and left the hosts shocked by the conclusion of the game, full of VAR decisions and interruptions.
The Final of the AFCON ended zero-zero in the 90 minutes of the game, and Senegal won against Morocco in a decisive moment at the very beginning of the extra time. Pape Gueye hit a big long-range shot to end the stalemate and bring the Teranga Lions a historic win on Moroccan soil.
Normal time was also marred with a big VAR decision towards the end of stoppage time when Morocco was given a penalty due to a slight tug of Brahim Dzairi during a corner.
The ruling caused immense outcry among Senegal players and staff who briefly strolled out of the field as pandemonium erupted around the stadium.
Head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw directed his men onto an early exit in protest, claiming that there was a question of unfairness by the referees that Senegal had previously protested against in the tournament.
Captain Sadio Mané made a key contribution to deterring the situation, convincing his colleagues to resume and proceed with the game.
Once the game restarted, Diaz tried to score a Panenka-type penalty, which was easily caught by Édouard Mendy, leaving the game at a draw and taking the match into extra time.
The miss was a death blow because Senegal recovered its mental composure, whereas Morocco was not able to counter a psychological blow.
The momentum was capitalised upon by Senegal, who beat Morocco, and the extra-time goal by Gueye was the reward of the composure and defensive discipline of Senegal. It was Senegal’s fourth final in AFCON, and it made them the first champions in the 24-team era to win the final without a penalty shootout.
Morocco had had moments of domination, and Nayef Aguerd, Ayoub El Kaabi, and Abde Ezzalzouli had opportunities to get the breakthrough without success. Yassine Bounou made some crucial saves, such as denying Iliman Ndiaye and Ibrahim Mbaye, which underscore his role during the tournament.
Following the match, the Moroccan coach Walid Regragui condemned the act of Senegal walking out of the match, terming the act as shameful following the frustration. But Senegal got a well-anticipated victory, and Mané was named Player of the Tournament in what he hinted was his last AFCON.
The latter outcome not only prolonged the Moroccan wait to win a first Africa Cup of Nations in a long time (since 1976) but also ended an otherwise tight-lined and contentious tournament. In the case of Senegal, the win proved them to be the most powerful country in Africa and strengthened their capability to overcome them even during the war of ultimate challenge.
