Senegal’s head coach Pape Thiaw has addressed the tensions that erupted during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 final against host nation Morocco, following an attempted team boycott over controversial officiating.

The match, played under cold and rainy conditions at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat turned dramatic in the final minutes of regulation time. 

Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a disputed penalty in the 90+8 minute after a VAR review, just minutes after a Senegal goal had been disallowed in the 90+2 minute. Frustrated, Thiaw briefly led his players off the pitch, delaying the game by nearly 20 minutes.

Speaking after the match, Thiaw acknowledged the disruption and apologised.

“I don’t want to talk about all the incidents. I apologise to football. We accept the referee’s mistakes. We shouldn’t have done it, and now we offer our apologies,” he said.

He added that, after reflection, he had brought the team back together.

“After reflecting, I made them come back.”

While Thiaw did not credit anyone specifically, reports indicate that captain Sadio Mane played a key role in de-escalating the situation, convincing his teammates to return to the pitch and refocus on the game.

Normal time ended in drama when Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy saved what looked to be a Panenka-style penalty from Morocco’s Real Madrid winger Brahim Díaz with the final kick of the match. The miss stunned fans worldwide, including US-based streamer IShowSpeed, who was watching live. Some observers have even speculated that the failed penalty may reflect Morocco’s attempt to avoid further controversy and preserve the integrity of African football on the global stage.

Mendy’s heroics helped calm Senegalese supporters, some of whom had early on thrown objects and attempted to storm the pitch in protest.

In extra time, Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal in the first half, giving the Teranga Lions a 1–0 victory and clinching their second AFCON title in three editions. Their first triumph came in 2022, when Senegal defeated Egypt on penalties in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Gueye’s goal was historic, as it was Senegal’s first-ever goal in an AFCON final, ending the team’s drought after three previous appearances without scoring in the tournament’s deciding match.

Following the victory, attention now shifts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico in June.