By: Osabuohien Imuetinyanosa
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in an extraordinarily chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final, with Pape Gueye scoring an extra-time stunner after the Lions of Teranga had walked off the pitch and refused to play following the awarding of a late penalty.
Brahim Diaz created the chance to win the trophy for the hosts with the final kick of regulation time, with the decision to penalise El Hadji Malick Diouf for dragging Diaz down prompting Senegal coach Pape Thiaw to lead his players back to the dressing room.
That spot-kick was awarded in the fifth minute of stoppage time but not taken until the 24th after Senegal’s players returned, and Diaz’s Panenka was easily caught by Edouard Mendy.
That set the stage for Pape Gueye’s piledriver to clinch Senegal’s second AFCON triumph amid a tempestuous atmosphere in Rabat, in what may have been Sadio Mane’s final game at the tournament.
The first 90 minutes were relatively quiet, compared to the pandemonium that followed. Iliman Ndiaye and Nayef Aguerd missed big chances late in the first half, before Ayoub El Kaabi skewed wide from close range in the 58th minute.
A nasty collision between Diouf and Neil El Aynaoui left the latter with blood pouring from his head, and though he was able to continue, the eight-minute delay caused by the incident ensured there was a lengthy period of second-half stoppage time.
Senegal had the ball in the net in the first added minute, with Ismaila Sarr nodding in from beneath the crossbar after Idrissa Gueye’s header bounced off the post, but referee Jean-Jacques Ndala had already blown the whistle for a soft foul on Achraf Hakimi.
Already incensed by that decision, Senegal were downright furious when Diaz won his late penalty, with bizarre scenes ensuing as Thiaw told his players to leave the pitch and Mane urged them to play on.
When play finally resumed, Diaz’s chip barely left the ground and was gathered by Mendy, with the Real Madrid forward in tears as the final whistle sounded.
And Morocco’s woes were compounded three minutes into the additional period, as Pape Gueye bundled his way to the edge of the box before firing a rocket shot into the far corner.
There was still time for Aguerd to head against the crossbar and Cherif Ndiaye to somehow shoot wide of a totally open goal, with the full-time whistle sparking wild celebrations among those in green.
Data Debrief: Gueye ends drought as Senegal reign supreme again
Somehow, some way, Senegal are champions of Africa for the second time, having defeated Egypt on penalties following a goalless draw in the 2021 showpiece.
Pape Gueye’s blockbuster was actually the first goal the Lions of Teranga have ever scored in an AFCON final, having also lost on spot-kicks following a 0-0 draw with Cameroon in 2002, and gone down 1-0 to Algeria in 2019.
At the end of 120 (or more) minutes of drama, Senegal had fired off 14 shots, hitting the target with seven, and amassed 1.75 expected goals (xG). Morocco had 20 shots and 2.19 xG, but only hit the target three times.
