- Papa Gueye scored the match winner in the Morocco vs Senegal AFCON 2025 finale.
- Senegal players walked off the pitch in disgust and clashes erupted among their supporters after Morocco were given a spot-kick in injury time at the end of normal time.
- The game restarted after a delay of almost 20 minutes but Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved
Senegal stunned Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 final on Sunday as Pape Gueye’s goal gave them a 1-0 extra-time win in a game marred by ugly incidents following a controversial penalty award.
Several Senegal players walked off the pitch in disgust and clashes erupted among their supporters after Morocco were given a spot-kick in injury time at the end of normal time.
The game restarted after a delay of almost 20 minutes but Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved, taking the final to extra time where Gueye scored before Senegal held on to win the continental title for the second time.
Morocco vs Senegal report
The highly charged final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium delivered tension, intensity, drama and chaos in equal measure, as Senegal claimed their second continental crown in five years.
The opening exchanges were played at a frantic pace, with both sides feeding off the electric atmosphere inside a packed stadium. Senegal enjoyed early territorial dominance despite the energy of the home crowd, while Morocco remained compact and dangerous on the break.
Senegal carved out the clearest chances of the first half. Illiman Ndiaye was twice denied in one-on-one situations by an outstanding Yassine Bounou, while Gueye forced a sharp early save with a powerful header.
Morocco responded through Nayef Aguerd, who twice went close from set-pieces but failed to direct his headers on target. Despite the tempo, neither side managed to break the deadlock before the interval, with the teams heading into half-time locked at 0–0.
Second half pressure and Rising Tension
The second half saw Morocco raise the intensity, with Abdessamad Ezzalzouli repeatedly stretching the Senegal defence down the left flank. Youssef En-Nesyri and Ayoub El Kaabi both threatened but were kept at bay by Edouard Mendy, who remained composed under mounting pressure.
Senegal continued to threaten on the counter, with Nicolas Jackson and Ibrahim Mbaye forcing Morocco’s defence into hurried clearances.
As fatigue crept in, the match became increasingly stop-start, punctuated by fouls and lengthy injury delays including a worrying clash of heads involving Neil El Aynaoui, which added significant stoppage time.
Stoppage time chaos and VAR controversy
The match exploded into chaos deep into stoppage time.
Senegal thought they had taken a dramatic late lead when a corner was turned home amid goalmouth confusion, only for the referee to disallow the goal for a foul in the build-up after a VAR review, a decision that sparked immediate fury from the Senegalese bench.
Moments later, controversy struck again at the other end. Morocco were awarded a penalty after VAR ruled that Malick Diouf had fouled Brahim Diaz during a corner. Senegal players surrounded the officials before walking off the pitch in protest, delaying the game for several minutes.
Sadio Mane’s class act
Sadio Mane walked into the dressing room calling his fellow Lions of Teranga who had already left the pitch back to action, showing his true leadership skills.
When order was eventually restored, Diaz stepped up but saw his audacious chipped penalty comfortably saved by Edouard Mendy, preserving the deadlock and forcing extra time amid deafening noise and disbelief around the stadium.
Extra time breakthrough
Extra time began with both sides visibly drained, yet Senegal appeared the more composed. Morocco pushed bodies forward, leaving space behind space Senegal finally exploited.
In the 94th minute, Pape Gueye produced the moment of the final. Driving forward from midfield, the Villarreal man unleashed a stunning long-range strike that flew into the top corner, leaving Bounou helpless and silencing the home crowd.
Morocco threw everything forward in response. Aguerd struck the crossbar with a powerful header, while Hakimi continued to bombard the Senegal box with crosses, but Senegal’s defensive line stood firm.
Despite heavy pressure and further added time at the end of extra time, Senegal held on, expertly managing the closing stages to see out a famous victory.
Senegal crowned champions
At the final whistle, Senegal’s players collapsed in exhaustion and joy, while Morocco were left to rue a final that slipped away amid controversy and missed opportunities.
For Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, possibly playing his final AFCON match, it was another defining chapter in a glittering international career.
For Senegal, it was confirmation of their place among Africa’s modern footballing elite victorious not just through talent, but resilience under the most intense pressure imaginable.