AFCON 2025: Senegal Beat Morocco Following Dramatic Walk-Off

Last Updated:January 19, 2026, 07:30 IST

Senegal clinched the AFCON 2025 title over Morocco after Pape Gueye's extra-time winner and dramatic referee decisions involving Pape Thiaw and Sadio Mane.

Sadio Mane prepares to raise the trophy aloft as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (Picture credit: AP)

Senegal managed to edge Morocco in a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations Final on Sunday, January 18, after a controversial decision from the referee saw Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, asking his team to walk off the pitch in protest, only for Sadio Mane to go and calm his side down.

Pape Gueye struck a thunderous long-range winner in the fourth minute of extra time, the decisive goal of the game.

Senegal believed they had taken the lead in stoppage time of the 90 minutes, but referee Jean Jacques Ngambo Ndala disallowed the goal for a foul in the buildup. The decision came after Abdoulaye Seck was adjudged to have had his hand on Achraf Hakimi as he rose to head home from a corner.

Moments later, controversy deepened when El Hadji Malick Diouf brought down Brahim Diaz during a corner for the hosts. After a VAR review and a lengthy check at the monitor, the referee awarded Morocco a penalty.

The call prompted Thiaw to instruct his footballers to walk off the field in protest. Most headed back to the dressing room, with only captain Mané staying behind before rushing in to persuade his teammates to return and see out the game.

Diaz stepped up to take the penalty but saw his attempted Panenka saved by Edouard Mendy. The Moroccan forward, who went on to finish as AFCON 2025’s Golden Boot winner, was left in tears and his worst fears were realised soon after extra time started.

A swift Senegal move ended with Gueye defeating Yassine Bounou from distance, a strike that proved enough to seal the AFCON 2025 title. The latter later produced a superb save in the second half of extra time and Morocco rattled the crossbar as well, but they couldn’t find an equaliser.

“We had a feeling of injustice. Just before the penalty, we thought we should have had a goal and the referee did not go to VAR," Gueye said.

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