Senegal wins the Africa Cup of Nations amid controversy
The Senegalese national team won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in its history, after beating Morocco (the host nation) 1-0 in the final of the competition amid a scandal involving the Senegalese team leaving the field on the instructions of their coach after the referee and VAR awarded a penalty to Morocco, which Brahim Díaz missed spectacularly
Senegal won the African Cup of Nations for the second time in its history with a 1-0 victory over host Morocco in a final that saw chaos near the end of regular time and went into extra time. The only goal of the match came at the start of extra time with a shot by Pape Gueye that capped a quick counterattack.
The match was stopped for several minutes at the end of regular time after Senegal coach Pape Tyau signaled to his players to leave the field in protest of a penalty kick awarded to Morocco after consulting with the video assistant referee. His players stood on the sidelines and some of them went into the locker room before returning to the field to continue the match. After play resumed, Ibrahima Dia's shot from the penalty spot was weak and went straight down the middle of the goal, sending the game into extra time, where Senegal prevailed.
Quel gâchis ce penalty... Il avait la balle de match... et il a joué à la roulette russe 😡 pic.twitter.com/Q57hhXxdjp
— Mohamed Larbi (@Mohamed71856192) January 18, 2026
Senegal fans trying to storm the pitch fighting with police, during the period of time the players left the pitch and the game was stopped…
— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) January 18, 2026
🫣pic.twitter.com/PVQQK8cgGe
Senegal maintained its unbeaten record in 18 matches in the continental tournament (13 wins and five draws), specifically since losing the 2019 final in Egypt to Algeria 0-1. This is the first time the two teams have met in the continental tournament and the 32nd time overall, with Morocco winning 18 times, losing seven times, and drawing seven times.
On the other hand, Morocco lost its second final in history after the first 22 years ago, specifically in Tunisia in 2004, when it lost to the host Tunisian team 1-2. This is also the second time that Morocco has failed to take advantage of home field and crowd support, after the first time in 1988 when it was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Cameroon 0-1.
The most dangerous team
Senegal won the title for the first time in 2021. The Senegalese team was the most dangerous in the first half and almost took the lead on two occasions, had it not been for the brilliance of Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, while Ismail Saibari and Nayef Akrad lacked accuracy in front of the opponent's goal, ending the first half with a goalless draw.
Senegal maintained its unbeaten record in 18 games in the continental tournament (13 wins and 5 draws), specifically since losing the 2019 final.
Morocco improved in the second half and came close to scoring on more than one occasion, most notably when Diaz took a strange penalty kick, sending the match into extra time, which was dominated by the Senegalese team. Senegal almost took the lead in the fifth minute when Gueye headed powerfully from a corner kick, but Bono saved his attempt.
Ismail Sabari missed a chance to open the scoring in the 20th minute when he intercepted the ball from Idrissa Gana Gueye at the start of a quick counterattack, but his attempt missed the target as the referee raised his flag for offside against the Eindhoven player.
Bono shone again when he saved a low shot from close range by Eliman Ndiaye, who took advantage of a clever through ball in the 36th minute. In the 40th minute, Abdel Samad Al-Zalzuli played a cross from the left side, which Akrad tried to convert with a header from close range, but his timing was not right to get the ball past him, and the first half ended in a goalless draw.
Continuous attempts
Both teams continued their attempts in the second half, and Ayub Al-Kaabi missed a clear chance in the 57th minute when he received a low cross from Bilal Al-Khanous that put him one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot missed the target. The match was stopped while Nael Al-Ainawi received treatment on the pitch after suffering a head injury following a collision with Senegalese player Malick Diouf. The Moroccan player continued the match after his injury was treated.
El Zalzouli took a direct shot from a corner kick by Hakimi, but his shot was weak and ended up in the hands of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the 80th minute. Towards the end of regular time, Adam Masina asked to be substituted, apparently due to injury, and left the field in tears.
Senegal's Nicolas Jackson almost sealed the match in the 90th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but Bono made a brilliant save. El Zalzuli missed a dangerous opportunity when his shot went over the crossbar in a quick counterattack. In stoppage time, Morocco's players demanded a penalty for a foul by Malick Diouf on Diaz inside the area. The referee awarded a penalty in the eighth minute of stoppage time after reviewing the incident on a screen at the side of the pitch.
Senegal coach Thiago asked his players to leave the pitch and stand on the sidelines, with some of them entering the dressing room. However, Sadio Mané went into the dressing room to bring his teammates back onto the pitch and the match resumed. Diaz shot the ball into the goalkeeper's arms from the penalty spot, sending the match into extra time.
In the fourth minute of extra time, Senegal scored through Gueye, who fired a powerful shot into the far corner to cap off a quick counterattack after El Ainaoui lost the ball. Both teams continued to try to score, with Senegal looking more dangerous, but the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
