The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched a formal review and threatened 'appropriate action' against players and officials following a deeply controversial Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday. The match, which saw Senegal defeat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time, was overshadowed by unprecedented scenes including a mass walk-off by the Senegalese team and attempts by fans to storm the pitch.
Chaos Erupts Over Late Penalty Decision
With the score goalless deep into stoppage time, Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty in the 98th minute after a VAR review for a foul on Brahim Diaz. This decision, coming just minutes after a Senegal goal was controversially disallowed, sparked immediate fury. Senegal's coach, Pape Thiaw, led his players in walking off the field in protest, with the team retreating to the dressing room for approximately 14 minutes.
The tension spilled over on the sidelines, where scuffles broke out between Moroccan substitutes and Senegalese players, with Morocco's coach Walid Regragui also involved. Simultaneously, angry Senegalese supporters attempted to breach security and enter the pitch from behind one of the goals at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Drama on the Pitch Before Eventual Winner
After being persuaded to return by captain Sadio Mane, the Senegalese players watched as Morocco's Brahim Diaz took the fateful penalty. His weak, chipped effort was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy with what was effectively the last kick of normal time. The match proceeded to extra time, where Pape Gueye secured Senegal's second AFCON title by sweeping a left-footed shot into the top corner in the 104th minute.
"We really wanted to win here," Gueye said post-match. "It was a very difficult match but we gave everything." In contrast, a dejected Moroccan coach Regragui stated, "We are really disappointed for all the Moroccan people... We congratulate Senegal, even if what we showed of African football was disappointing, given everything that happened."
Official Condemnation and Pending Sanctions
Both CAF and FIFA President Gianni Infantino have strongly condemned the events. CAF denounced the "unacceptable behaviour" and confirmed it is reviewing all footage before referring the matter to "competent bodies" for disciplinary action. Infantino was unequivocal in his criticism, labelling the scenes "unacceptable" and "ugly."
"It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport," Infantino said. "We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials... These scenes must be condemned and never repeated." The fallout from the chaotic final is now set to move from the pitch to the disciplinary committees.
