RABAT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Senegal stormed off the field in protest at a penalty awarded against them before returning to beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time and win the Africa Cup of Nations amid farcical scenes in Sunday’s final.
Midfielder Pape Gueye netted the 94th-minute winner after Morocco’s star player Brahim Diaz had squandered the chance to win it for the home side by fluffing the last-gasp penalty in normal time following a 14-minute delay.
Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw ordered his players off and it was talisman Sadio Mane who persuaded them to return.
The penalty was awarded following a VAR check by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala after Diaz had been tugged to the ground by Senegal full back El Hadji Malick Diouf while defending a corner five minutes into stoppage time.
Officials and players jostled with each other while the referee consulted the touchline screen and again when Senegal walked off.
Once the players returned to the field, Diaz inexplicably tried a Panenka-style chip and his weak penalty sailed tamely into the arms of Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Senegal’s actions will be seen as a major blight on an otherwise successful tournament, although defeat continued Morocco’s poor record in the tournament, which they only previously won 50 years ago.
Senegal, who have won twice in the last three editions, handed top-ranked Morocco their first defeat in 27 internationals.
END-TO-END MATCH
Gueye’s powerful shot gave Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou no chance but he was forced into several other key saves, as was his counterpart Mendy in an end-to-end match.
"We really wanted to win here," Gueye said. "It was a very difficult match but we gave everything."
There was an early scare for the hosts as the first corner saw Pape Gueye steal in unmarked at the back post and head goalwards with Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou making a save.
Senegal’s every move was jeered by an ear-splitting cacophony of whistles from the 66,526-strong crowd, but they were undaunted as they took the game to Morocco.
They should have been behind midway through the first half when Idrissa Gana Gueye, captaining the team in place of the suspended Kalidou Koulibaly, lost possession to allow Ayoub El Kaabi to burst away on goal, but by the time he passed to Ismael Saibari his frontline partner was offside.
The energy-sapping pace of the game, with furious pressing and frenzied chasing, saw mistakes creep in with Morocco caught flat by Nicolas Jackson’s 38th-minute pass to Iliman Ndiaye, whose shot was saved by Bounou.
El Kaabi had a glaring miss in the 58th minute, steering Bilal El Khannouss’ curling delivery from the right narrowly wide of the goal when it looked easier to score.
Senegal had the ball in the net two minutes into stoppage time in a goalmouth scramble, but Abdoulaye Seck had pushed Achraf Hakimi in the build-up and it was ruled out.
"We are really disappointed for all the Moroccan people," said their coach Walid Regragui. "When you get a penalty in the last minute, you can see victory very close, but in the end football catches up with you.
"We congratulate Senegal, even if what we showed of African football was disappointing, given everything that happened when the penalty was awarded.”
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Rabat; Editing by Ed Osmond)
