Senegal defeats Morocco to win Africa Cup after calling off walk-off protest over controversial penalty

Senegal has won the Africa Cup of Nations successful melodramatic fashion. Pape Gueye scored successful other clip for the Teranga Lions to bushed big Morocco 1-0 successful a chaotic last connected Sunday (January 18, 2026), which astatine 1 constituent saw fans trying to tempest the tract and Senegal’s players walking disconnected the transportation to protestation a punishment determination heavy into second-half stoppage time.

It appeared unclear if the crippled could proceed arsenic fans battled with stewards.

“We each saw what happened astatine the extremity of the lucifer but we took the determination to travel backmost onto the transportation and springiness everything,” Gueye said.

Play resumed aft a stoppage of 14 minutes, lone for Senegal’s Édouard Mendy to easy prevention Brahim Díaz’s effort astatine a Panenka punishment erstwhile helium lobbed the shot consecutive into the goalkeeper’s arms with the past footwear of mean time.

Gueye past scored the winning extremity successful the 4th infinitesimal of other clip erstwhile helium swept the shot into the apical close country with his near boot.

The 69,500-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium emptied rapidly aft the last whistle. Few were near to spot the Senegalese players assistance the trophy.

It’s Senegal’s 2nd Africa Cup win. The Teranga Lions won the 2021 variation aft a punishment shootout against Egypt.

Chaos successful Rabat

There was chaos earlier other clip aft Morocco was awarded a arguable stoppage-time punishment conscionable aft Senegal had what seemed a bully extremity ruled retired astatine the different end.

Senegal’s extremity successful the 2nd infinitesimal of stoppage clip was ruled retired for a foul by Abdoulaye Seck, but TV replays showed small interaction connected Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, who fell earlier Seck headed the shot disconnected the post. Moussa Niakhaté headed successful the rebound.

Then Morocco claimed a punishment for a propulsion by El Hadji Malick Diouf connected Brahim, and it was awarded aft Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala checked replays.

The determination led to fights betwixt immoderate of the Moroccan substitutes and their opposing players with Morocco manager Walid Regragui besides involved, perchance successful a bid to calm the situation.

Anger spilled implicit among the organized radical of Senegalese fans, with galore jumping down among the photographers and trying to tempest the tract from down 1 of the goals. At slightest 1 threw a seat onto the field. They were mostly held backmost by a agelong enactment of police.

There were besides fights successful the property container — perchance involving Moroccan and Senegalese fans masquerading arsenic journalists to get accreditation — portion tempers flared.

“The representation we gave of African shot was alternatively shameful,” Regragui said.

Players locomotion off

Senegal manager Pape Thiaw led his squad disconnected the tract portion Moroccan fans celebrated the punishment determination and whistled the ongoing warring connected the field.

The players returned immoderate 14 minutes aboriginal and Brahim – Morocco’s prima and the tournament’s apical scorer with 5 goals – missed the accidental to extremity Morocco’s 50-year hold for the trophy.

“Football sometimes is cruel and contiguous we lost,” Regragui said.

“We cognize successful a last you request to instrumentality the fewer chances that travel your way. That punishment successful the past seconds could person won america the title.” Brahim was whistled by the remaining Morocco fans erstwhile helium went to cod his runners-up medal.

Instead, Gueye scored Senegal’s archetypal extremity from unfastened play — alternatively than from penalties — successful a final. This was Senegal’s 4th quality successful an Africa Cup final.

“Sadio (Mané) told america to travel backmost connected and we re-mobilised,” Gueye said.

“Édouard past made the save, we stayed focused, got the extremity and won the game.”

Pre-match acrimony

Before the game, the Senegalese Football Federation decried a deficiency of “fair play” from the Moroccan hosts earlier the final, citing an alleged deficiency of security, problems with the squad hotel, grooming facilities and quality to get tickets for its supporters.

Senegal was without suspended skipper Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Habib Diarra, and dealt a further stroke earlier kickoff erstwhile Krépin Diatta and Ousseynou Niang some got injured successful the warmup. Diatta had been owed to commencement astatine close back.

Senegalese choler astatine the punishment determination came aft Morocco besides seemed to payment from favourable refereeing calls successful erstwhile games. Regragui angrily rejected suggestions the location squad was being favored.

Thiaw’s post-game property league was called disconnected due to the fact that of journalists shouting and arguing erstwhile helium emerged for their questions. Their arguments continued aft Thiaw near the podium.

For Morocco, a 2030 World Cup co-host, decision is simply a demoralizing blow. The kingdom has invested heavy successful shot facilities and infrastructure. One of the astir assertive infrastructure buildouts successful African sporting past fueled protests successful October from mostly young Moroccans who consciousness different areas are being neglected.