Soccer Football - CAF Africa Cup of Nations - Morocco 2025 - Final - Senegal v Morocco - Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco - January 18, 2026 Senegal coach Pape Thiaw gestures for his players to leave the pitch after a penalty is awarded to Morocco REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
RABAT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was roundly jeered and then walked out of his scheduled post-match press conference as the drama of Sunday's contentious Africa Cup of Nations final continued well after the final whistle.
Thiaw ordered his players off the field in protest at a penalty awarded against them before they returned to beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time and win the trophy.
Thiaw had been expected to explain his decision at the post-match press conference but when he entered the room the coach was jeered by Moroccan journalists while their Senegalese counterparts clapped.
Failure by officials to quieten a rowdy room then saw Thiaw leave.
The Senegal coach was central to the farcical scenes that clouded the final and could faceheavy sanction from the Confederation of African Football.
The penalty was awarded following a VAR check by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala after Brahim Diaz had been tugged to the ground by Senegal full back El Hadji Malick Diouf while defending a corner five minutes into stoppage time.
But Senegal reacted angrily to the decision and walked off, some players going down the tunnel and into their changing room. It took 14 minutes before they returned and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Diaz's poorly taken Panenka-style chipped spot kick.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Rabat; Editing by Ken Ferris)
