The debates around refereeing during this 2025 African Cup of Nations will certainly not stop after the crazy outcome of the final between Senegal and Morocco this Sunday evening.
While we were heading straight for extra time, two incidents in quick succession in stoppage time turned everything upside down, and gave rise to a completely crazy end to the match. Never seen it, even.
90th +2: the opening score “refused” in Senegal
We rewind. 92nd minute, Senegal plays a corner on the right side. Seck wins his duel with Hakimi at the far post and sends his header onto the post. The ball rebounds towards Ismaïla Sarr who takes it… Goal? No ! Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala had called a foul even before the action had finished and the ball had crossed the line.
In fact, it is therefore impossible for him to reverse his decision and appeal to VAR. However, the images are anything but obvious: Achraf Hakimi collapses very easily upon contact with Seck.
90th +8: a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco
Fast forward, three minutes later. 95th minute: corner this time for Morocco. El Hadji Malick Diouf brings down Brahim Diaz in the area. His hand is at the level of the Moroccan attacker’s neck. At first, the referee does not flinch. Then the ball comes out, and the Real Madrid player gets angry: he calls for a foul on the action.
The VAR then contacts the central referee and he will therefore see the images. Around him, there is already total chaos: the players are getting as heated as the sidelines. Decision made… penalty for Morocco! We are at the end of added time: the clock now shows 98 minutes.
Decision which provokes the eruption of Senegalese minds. Outraged, overexcited, the Senegalese strongly contest this decision and even decide… to leave the field! Harangued by their coach, some even returned to the locker room, before finally returning under the leadership of Sadio Mané who called them back, himself influenced by Claude Le Roy at the edge of the pitch.
In the stands too, there was chaos, with Senegalese supporters coming to blows with the police. Some of them are then very close to invading the field.
90th +24: Brahim Diaz misses his move
Finally, in the agitation, Brahim Diaz is able to place the ball on the penalty spot after almost 20 minutes of interruption of the game. A disrupted penalty: in the stands, lasers target the players and the Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy begins to destabilize Diaz, apparently imperturbable, with his words. Apparently…
Top scorer in the competition, new favorite of a whole people, Brahim Diaz rushes, hits… and it misses! The Real Madrid player wants to write his personal legend by attempting a panenka, too soft, easily captured by Édouard Mendy.
The native of Malaga collapses, while his trainer Walid Regragui is mad with rage. An outcome as surreal as this entire sequence, which sent this final to the end of the night in Rabat, straight into overtime.
