After a month of fierce competition, Senegal were Sunday night crowned champions of Africa, defeating hosts Morocco 1–0 after extra time in a dramatic and controversial final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. In front of a hostile, near capacity crowd, the Lions of Teranga showed resilience, discipline and mental strength to claim the second Africa Cup of Nations title in their history. The final was tense, physical and emotionally charged. Morocco dominated possession, while Senegal adopted a compact, low defensive block, waiting patiently for their moment. Both goalkeepers, Yassine Bounou and Edouard Mendy, kept their teams in the game for a couple of time with decisive saves in regulation time. A penalty that pushed the match into chaos As minutes passed, tensions inside the stadium grew unbearable. Every Moroccan attack lifted the crowd to its feet and every Senegalese foray forced a nation to hold its breath. Bounou once again played the hero, denying Mbaye late in the 89th minute. During eight long minutes of stoppage time, the stadium erupted when a corner appeared to result in a goal first saved by the post, then bundled into the net. Morocco were already mourning when the referee ruled a foul on Achraf Hakimi moments earlier in the 90+2nd minute. As had often been the case in this AFCON, refereeing decisions became a focal point. The decisive moment came from a late penalty when Brahim Díaz went down in the box after a corner. Initially waved away, the referee changed his decision after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) amid furious protests. The penalty was clear on review, though debate remained over a possible foul in the buildup. What followed was pure chaos. Coaching staffs clashed. Senegalese supporters attempted to enter the pitch. Concerned for his players’ safety or protesting the decision, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw instructed his team to leave the field. The interruption lasted several minutes before the match resumed. Called back by Sadio Mané, who urged his teammates to “come back to pitch we’re going to play like men,” Senegal regrouped. Edouard Mendy, leading the way, attempted to intimidate the taker by stepping into Brahim Díaz’s path. The Real Madrid midfielder attempted a panenka and failed completely. Mendy did not even need move as he comfortably saved the penalty before referee Jean-Jacques Ndala blew the full time whistle for extra time. Díaz left the pitch in tears after the penalty miss and was replaced shortly after. The match continued after such scenes. Senegal found the breakthrough, in extra time, Pape Gueye delivered the decisive blow 94th minute, firing a powerful shot past Bounou to silence the stadium and seal victory. Morocco pushed until the end, hitting the post through Youssef En-Nesyri, but Edouard Mendy stood firm to protect Senegal’s narrow lead. “This victory is the result of the hard work of the whole team. We gave it our all to win, right from the group stage. We just want to go home and celebrate with our supporters,” said Mendy after full-time. Senegal now add a second star to their shirt. Morocco came close, but in a final decided by fine margins, only one nation could lift the trophy.
