Chaos, Courage and Controversy as Senegal Survive AFCON Final Storm

The Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco will be remembered less for flowing football and more for the extraordinary scenes that unfolded in Rabat on a night when tension spilled far beyond the touchline.

With the match deep into stoppage time and the score still locked at 0-0, Senegal thought they had won it. Ismaila Sarr bundled the ball home from close range, only for the referee to rule the goal out for a foul in the build-up, a decision that immediately ignited fury among the Senegalese players and bench.

Moments later, disbelief turned into outright rage. Morocco were awarded a penalty after a VAR review judged Malick Diouf to have fouled Brahim Diaz from a corner. The decision was met with chaos. Senegal’s players surrounded the officials before marching off the pitch in protest on the orders of their technical bench, leaving captain Sadio Mane standing alone on the touchline as tempers boiled over.

For more than 15 minutes, the final teetered on the brink of collapse. Eventually, Mane led his teammates back onto the field, restoring a fragile sense of order to a stadium simmering with anger and disbelief.

When play finally resumed, Diaz had the chance to settle the final from the spot. Instead, his attempted Panenka lacked conviction and was comfortably saved by Edouard Mendy, whose calm intervention felt like a moment of justice in the eyes of the Senegalese camp. The miss sent the final into extra time, shifting momentum decisively.

Barely four minutes into the additional period, Senegal struck. Idrissa Gana Gueye surged forward on the break and fed Pape Gueye, who unleashed a stunning left-footed drive into the top corner, a goal of clarity and precision amid the madness that had preceded it.

From there, Senegal defended their lead with defiance. Morocco poured men forward, rattled the crossbar, and peppered the box with crosses, but the Senegalese back line held firm. Every clearance was cheered, every foul contested like a final duel, as frustration spread through the home crowd.

As the final whistle blew after extra time, emotions swung violently once more. Senegal’s players collapsed to the turf in exhaustion and relief, while Moroccan supporters watched in stunned silence, their dream of a home triumph slipping away in the most painful fashion.

For Senegal, it was a victory forged in adversity. They survived a disallowed goal, a controversial penalty, a mass walk-off and relentless pressure, yet still found the character to win the trophy. For Morocco, it was heartbreak layered with controversy, a final defined by moments they will replay for years.

This was not just a final. It was a test of nerve, leadership and resilience. And in the end, Senegal stood tallest when the storm was at its fiercest.