The African Cup of Nations final was controversial, but in the end Senegal won their second title with a 1-0 victory over Morocco in Rabat on Sunday.
Edouard Mendy remains silent about what he said to Brahim Dias before the penalty (Image: )
Former Chelsea and Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has insisted he did not deliberately miss the Morocco international’s controversial penalty after Brahim Dias attempted a daring Panenka shot in the African Cup of Nations final.
Mendy effortlessly saved Dias’s unfortunate shot, prompting criticism of the 26-year-old. The penalty was awarded towards the end of stoppage time after referee Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo referred to VAR and ruled that West Ham defender El Hadji Malick Diouf had brought down Real Madrid attacker Dias before clearing the ball from a corner.
The decision sparked turbulent scenes at the AFCON final, with Senegalese coach Pape Tiao even dragging his team off the pitch to protest the injustice that occurred minutes after a Senegalese goal was harshly canceled at the other end with the score still 0-0.
read more: Sadio Mane, Senegal’s star, explains AFCON actions in resisting team protests with powerful messageread more: AFCON final plunges into chaos as Senegalese player sent off after controversial penalty
After a significant delay that lasted nearly 20 minutes, Dias tried to score Panenka, but ended up lofting the ball straight into Mendy’s hands, allowing the appreciative Senegalese keeper to take an easy catch.
The match then went into extra time, with Senegal scoring the first goal after just four minutes. Pape Gueye produced a great finish to give Senegal a 1-0 lead in the end. This goal ultimately clinched their second AFCON title.
On the other hand, hosts Morocco fell short of winning their first championship since 1976.
Join us on Facebook! For the latest news, analysis and more on our Mirror Football Facebook page
After the match, Mendy was asked whether Dias had intentionally missed the spot-kick following a series of dramatic scenes. “No, of course not. We have to be serious,” said the Senegalese shot-stopper.
“Do you really think that with one minute left, a country that has been waiting for a title for 50 years can come to an agreement? He was aiming for a goal and I deserve credit for stopping him. That’s all.”
Edouard Mendy saves Brahim Dias’ penalty at AFCON (Image: )
Asked about his interaction with Dias before receiving the penalty, Mendy added: “What did we say to each other? It’s between us.”
“We made it through together and we came back together and that’s all that matters. We can be proud tonight.”
“He must have been upset because he had plenty of time to take the penalty, but you can’t change what happened,” said an angry Moroccan coach Walid Reglagui.
Brahim Dias was awkwardly named Africa Cup of Nations best scorer (Image: AP)
“That’s how he chose to take the penalty. Now we need to move forward.”
After the referee checked the VAR footage and pointed to the penalty spot, all Senegalese players, with the exception of former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane, left the field and headed for the tunnel, along with the coaching staff, on Thiau’s orders.
At the same time, some Senegalese supporters stormed the pitch, forcing security intervention.
Chaos at AFCON final (Image: AP)
Determined to stop the chaos from prolonging, Mane sprinted down the tunnel and managed to convince his teammates to return to the pitch.
It was fortunate that he ultimately succeeded in doing so, and it meant that Senegal would emerge victorious in a truly unforgettable final.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
