The African Cup of Nations final match between Senegal and Morocco was thrown into chaos after the Senegalese national team had players removed from the pitch following a controversial penalty. There was a disappointing moment in Rabat when Senegal conceded a goal, but minutes later, the hosts were awarded a spot-kick in the 108th minute to snatch glory.
Senegal coach Pape Thiau was furious during the chaotic minutes of stoppage time and ordered his players off the pitch and took them back to the dressing room. The delay lasted 13 minutes as former Liverpool star Sadio Mane held talks with tournament officials as the high-profile match threatened to come to an abrupt end. But when the players returned to the pitch, there was more drama as this year’s top scorer Brahim Dias missed the winning spot-kick and Edouard Mendy saved Panenka’s spot-kick.
The match went into stoppage time scoreless, but Senegal regained the ball in the final stages and thought they had taken the lead. However, the referee ruled that substitute Abdullahi Sek had committed a foul after seeing his header hit the post during the build-up and called play back.
Eight minutes into the game, West Ham United defender El Hadj Malick Diouf was adjudged to have dragged Dias down in the box. The incident led to incredible scenes as the Senegalese players left the pitch and the Moroccan team looked confused.
Footage from the stands showed Senegalese fans reportedly attempting to storm the pitch following the controversial decision, suggesting anger in the stands could spill onto the pitch. The players returned to the pitch with Mane as the peacemaker, leading his teammates back onto the pitch.
But Real Madrid and former Manchester City forward Dias etched his name into the history books for all the wrong reasons. He tried to catch the former Chelsea shot-stopper with an audacious chip, but stood firm to catch the penalty. The cameras were on Thiau, but he could only smile and shake his head as he took the penalty. This penalty resulted in the referee blowing his full-time whistle, resulting in the final kick of the match, sending the final into extra time.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel felt the scenes brought about an “embarrassing end” to the competition. He said: “I think this decision was totally, totally wrong. For me, as we’ve seen here, it ruined a great tournament.”
“It’s a terrible, terrible call by the referee. The first goal should have been scored, there was no foul on Hakimi, but to give that penalty two minutes later is a disgraceful call. I can understand their frustration, because if they give this as a goal, they give that as a penalty, so to me it’s completely ridiculous.”
“I understand the frustration, but I don’t want to see them leave the football pitch. This is a shameful ending, a sad, sad ending to this great tournament. Whatever happens from here, we don’t know who will be the winner.”
The hosts at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah were stunned into silence when Pape Gueye put Senegal ahead just seven minutes into extra time.
