Senegal stunned the host country Morocco in a scintillating final match. Strike one made header history as they claimed the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title with a spectacular 1-0 victory after extra time. Our opening match in the Stade de Marrakech was nothing short of dramatic. A borderline penalty call and a hastily-executed walk-off by the Senegalese players presented combustible elements on the pitch.
Tempers flared as the usual cutoff time approached. Or so Senegal thought as they seemed to have won it in the second minute of added time! In the 15th minute, Abdoulaye Seck blasted a header onto the post from a corner kick. Ismaila Sarr was quickest to react, heading in the follow-up. Yet, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala ruled out the goal for a foul which shocked and raised the ire of Senegalese players.
In one of the strongest forms of protest against a referee’s decision, Senegal’s coach Pape Bouna Thiaw put his foot down. He instructed his players to storm off the field. It seemed to be all over for Senegal as they were on the verge of giving up their match. The country’s star player Sadio Mane stepped in, convincing fellow national team players to go back on the pitch and resume the fight.
The drama did not end there. Then in a poignant twist of fate, Senegal had a penalty called against them. Malmö FF’s El Hadji Malick Diouf was whistled for yanking down Brahim Diaz on a corner kick. After a VAR check, Ndala verified the penalty was awarded, setting Diaz up to give Morocco the lead. However, Diaz’s weak panenka attempt was thwarted by Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, keeping the match scoreless.
As the first half of extra time continued with neither team finding the back of the net, both teams fought with heart and tenacity. In the 94th minute, Pape Gueye scored a rocket from distance. His game-winning goal completed Senegal’s historic win against Morocco.
“When you get a penalty in the last minute, you can see victory very close, but in the end, football catches up with you.” – Walid Regragui
With this victory, Senegal won their first AFCON title. In doing so, they carved their names into the annals of history as the undisputed champions in one of the most heated and competitive tournaments ever contested. In the media conference after the final, Sadio Mane declared that this final will be his last AFCON tournament. His celebration with teammates after such a difficult physical battle was jubilant.
Idrissa Gana Gueye’s pressure helped force the release of Pape Gueye down the right, and his late cross-shot turned out to be the game-winner. The victory represents a watershed moment for Senegalese football, emphasizing their development on the continental landscape.
While the Senegalese players celebrated with as much joy and patriotism as they could muster, the movement of supporters was visible. That win should serve as a representation of their resilience, willingness to be underdogs, even in the face of such a dark season.
