The final of the Africa Cup of Nations 2026 held in Rabat turned out to be a highly controversial and spectacular ending in the tournament’s history as Senegal lifted the African title after beating Morocco 1-0 in the extra time.
Senegal vs Morocco AFCON Final: What Happened During The Match?
The match saw the two sides fighting each other very closely and tension filled for most of the time with not very clear chances created and both exhibiting great defending skills. However, regular time ending was the point where the events took a drastic turn. First, Senegal’s goal was ruled out and immediately after that, Morocco was given a penalty for the last seconds of the game after a VAR check, the Senegal players took a few moments to walk off the pitch in protest claiming that the referee was not fair.
Senegal vs Morocco AFCON Final Highlights
After a long delay, the game carried on and Moroccan’s Brahim Diaz took the penalty kick that was supposed to give the home team the trophy. He went for a Panenka but Senegal’s goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, made an easy save thereby turning the penalty into a non-success, leading to extra time. Just in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Pape Gueye clinched the victory for his side after a mishap in the midfield, firing a rocket that went straight past goalie Yassine Bounou and triggered some wild celebrations from the visiting team. Morocco was firing all its guns to get a goal, but Senegal proved unbeatable and thus, the AFCON crown was theirs for the second time.
Senegal Clinch AFCON Title
The match was not just about a thrilling finish, it had also off field tensions. Senegal had raised issues like security, accommodation, and possible bias which added to the already heated atmosphere. The Senegalese players, amidst the disordered events around them and the interruptions caused by protests, remained tough and took their chance, while Morocco’s long battle for a title which last was in 1976, ended tragically on home ground. The final will be remembered for both its controversies and the quality of its resolution.
