AFCON Final Chaos As Senegal Shock Morocco In Extra Time To Seal Second Title

 

Senegal stunned host nation Morocco on Sunday night to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, edging a tense and chaotic final 1–0 after extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

The match, marred by controversy and ugly scenes, was decided in the fourth minute of extra time when Pape Gueye fired Senegal to glory, silencing a crowd of 66,526 Moroccan supporters who had dreamed of a historic home triumph.

 

Morocco were handed a dramatic late chance to clinch the title deep into stoppage time after Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a controversial penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Díaz. The decision triggered furious protests from both teams and led to a lengthy delay of nearly 20 minutes, during which tempers flared in the stands.

When play eventually resumed, Díaz failed to rise to the moment. The Real Madrid winger attempted a weak chipped penalty that was comfortably saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, sending Senegalese fans into disbelief and delight.

Earlier, Senegal had also seen a stoppage-time goal ruled out for a foul, further inflaming tensions. Objects were thrown from the away section as security forces intervened to restore order.

With momentum firmly on their side after the penalty escape, Senegal struck decisively in extra time. Sadio Mané sparked the move before Idrissa Gana Gueye released Pape Gueye, who held off Achraf Hakimi and curled a stunning finish past Yassine Bounou into the top corner.

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Morocco pushed desperately for an equaliser, with Nayef Aguerd hitting the crossbar in the second half of extra time, but Senegal held on to complete a dramatic victory.

The win marks Senegal’s second AFCON title in three editions, following their maiden triumph in 2022, and their first-ever goal scored in an AFCON final after three previous appearances without finding the net.

The result crushed Moroccan hopes of ending a 50-year wait for continental glory on home soil, while Senegal now turn attention to the upcoming World Cup, with uncertainty still surrounding whether Sadio Mané will feature in another AFCON after hinting this could be his last.

Investigations are expected into the disorderly scenes that overshadowed the final.