Gary Lineker has condemned the chaotic scenes during the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco as “horrific and violent”. The dramatic encounter was decided by Senegal’s Papa Gueye’s extra-time goal, with Morocco’s Brahim Dias wasting a penalty that would have normally clinched the trophy with his final kick.
Real Madrid’s attacker, who was the top scorer at the tournament in Morocco, attempted a bold penalty from Panenka, but goalkeeper Edouard Mendy made an accurate read and saved it. The controversial decision to award a penalty infuriated the Senegalese camp, with head coach Pape Thiau ordering his team off the field while angry fans had to be stopped from storming the pitch.
Video footage from the terrace showed large numbers of security guards and police working together to prevent spectators from entering the playing surface. Director Lineker observed the disturbance firsthand and recorded footage from Rabat’s Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah.
He said: “I don’t understand what I just saw. I don’t understand why VAR was involved in the first place. It’s stupid.”
“Then it all started. They looked like they weren’t going to play and went into the tunnel, but in the end they came back thanks to Sadio Mane. He was doing the right thing, the right thing.”
“The kick-off started in the crowd. The Senegalese fans were obviously very upset and got very violent. Well, he tried Panenka and I’ve had a little bit of experience myself, but to stand around in a situation like that for 15, 20 minutes without doing anything is crazy.”
Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal in extra time, crushing Morocco’s dreams. Brahim Dias was sent off four minutes after scoring the opener and was seen crying on the bench after coming on as a substitute after being consoled by his team-mates after a penalty mistake.
The 26-year-old was emotional as he accepted his tournament runner-up medal and Golden Boot, despite jeers from those still in the stadium. Senegal’s victory was their second AFCON title and they reached the final thanks to wins over Sudan, Mali and Egypt.
Mane wore the captain’s armband and lifted the prestigious trophy, perhaps as his ode to Senegal. The Liverpool legend ended his long wait in 2021, scoring the crucial penalty against Egypt in Cameroon and making a major contribution to victory throughout the competition.
And he gave little indication that he would rule out the possibility of finishing his international career on a high note. He said: “We know how to play finals.
“Finals are meant to be won. I’m very happy to be able to play my last Afcon final, enjoy it and help my country win.”
