Senegal 'won't back down' after Morocco declared  Africa Cup of Nations  champions

Senegal had won January's African Cup of Nations final 1-0 after extra-time. Pic: AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy

Morocco have been named as Africa Cup of Nations champions, with Senegal’s controversial win overturned two months after its acrimonious conclusion.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made the dramatic decision after an appeal board determined the Senegal team had forfeited the match when they left the field in protest at a disputed penalty deep in stoppage time.

The walk off, instigated by coach Pape Thiaw, led to a lengthy delay, and when the game was belatedly restarted Brahim Diaz saw his spot-kick saved by Edouard Mendy.

Pape Gueye went on to score the winning goal in extra time but there was unrest in the crowd and recriminations in the aftermath.

Having studied the circumstances, the appeal board took the unprecedented step of reversing the result – effectively stripping Senegal of the trophy and handing it to the tournament hosts.

The judgement sees the match recorded as a 3-0 win for Morocco, who are now celebrating their second AFCON title.

A statement read: “The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the regulations…the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations with the result of the match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).

“All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.” 

Among the Senegal players to lose their champion status are former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane, Everton pair Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye, Chelsea’s Mamadou Sarr and his on-loan team-mate Nicolas Jackson, West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr.

Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui, meanwhile, can savour a belated triumph alongside PSG’s Achraf Hakimi and Real Madrid’s Diaz.

Responses from both sides

Morocco welcomed the verdict in an initial response which read: “The Federation wishes to recall that its approach has never been intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition’s regulations.

“The Federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions. It also wishes to commend all the nations that took part in this edition of the AFCON, which has been a major moment for African football. The Federation will make an official statement tomorrow, after convening its governing bodies.” 

Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation, called the verdict a “shame for Africa” and said the organisation would file an appeal, although he did not specify where.

Mr Sow told public broadcaster Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise: “We will not back down. The law is on our side.

“This decision is a travesty that rests on no legal basis. We felt that the panel was not there to apply the law, but to carry out an order.”