DAKAR, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Overjoyed Senegalese football fans set off fireworks and danced in the streets of Dakar into the pre-dawn hours on Monday after their national team secured their second Africa Cup of Nations title in the last three editions.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared Monday a national holiday after the final whistle sent jubilant supporters out to mob traffic roundabouts throughout the seaside capital after Senegal's 1-0 victory in extra time.
The match was full of drama, with Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw ordering his players off the field when Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a late penalty to hosts Morocco.
The 14-minute delay ended only after Sadio Mane coaxed his teammates back onto the pitch.
Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy then stopped Morocco star Brahim Diaz's Panenka-style chip from the spot, and midfielder Pape Gueye netted the winner in the 94th minute.
While Morocco coach Walid Regragui said afterwards his Senegalese counterpart's behaviour "wasn't classy," crowds gathered at Dakar's African Renaissance Monument said his actions were justified.
"This Africa Cup was full of cheating. They cheated until the end of the match but we were going to win," Mohamed Diop said as crowds around him prayed and blew vuvuzelas.
"Stealing and creating a scenario as if it were a Netflix series is crazy. An Africa Cup is not a Netflix series."
Other fans hailed the cool-headed Mane, who has said this Africa Cup of Nations would be his last.
"There was too much cheating, but when Sadio Mane did not accept that our players leave the competition, that really helped Senegal," Idrissa Diallo said.
"We would have had problems if we had left."
The controversy continued after the match with Thiaw's post-match press conference called off after he was jeered by Moroccan journalists when he entered the room while their Senegalese counterparts applauded him.
Back in Senegal, President Faye, in a message posted on X, heaped praise on the victorious squad.
"By presenting them with the national flag, we entrusted them with a mission," he said.
"They accomplished it brilliantly, at the end of an epic match, raising the colours of Senegal to the pinnacle of African football."
(Reporting by Ngouda Dione; Additional reporting by Bate Felix; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
