Rowan DuBois | staff writer
Almost 60 days after Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in contentious fashion to lift the African Cup of Nations trophy, the Confederation of African Football overturned the decision, giving Morocco the title via a Senegalese forfeit.
The CAF’s decision to flip the result came on March 17, and stated that Senegal is “declared to have forfeited the final” when its players left the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time.
A few minutes prior to the penalty kick, Senegal briefly believed they had won the game, as winger Ismaïla Sarr rifled a rebound header into the back of the net. However, Senegalese celebrations were immediately cut short by a foul which saw Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi get pushed to the ground and the goal ruled out.
Five minutes later, Moroccan forward Brahim Días was pulled to the ground in Senegal’s box on a corner kick. After a review from the video assistant referee, Morocco was awarded the penalty.
Penalty kicks are converted into goals on an average of 82%, according to a 2024 study by the National Library of Medicine, so Senegal felt the call had effectively handed them a loss.
After the call was confirmed, chaos ensued. Players argued amongst each other and with the officials, and stadium stewards struggled to keep angered fans under control.
After a discussion between Pape Thiaw and Walid Regragui, the head coaches of Senegal and Morocco, Thiaw waved the Teranga Lions off the field, seemingly refusing to play.
Fourteen minutes later, after Senegal captain Sadio Mané ran back to the locker room, convincing his team to come back out to the field, play resumed.
No change was made to the original call, but the protests ended anti-climactically as Días missed the penalty. Días controversially tried a “Paneka” penalty, a slow, lobbed attempt down the middle, but he failed to fool Senegalese goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, who caught it easily.
In extra time, Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored the only goal of the match, coming from a left-footed powershot in the 94th minute. The trophy was lifted by Senegal, seemingly closing the book on a controversial Cup of Nations Championship.
Prior to the result being overturned, the CAF discussed the result, and issued over $1 million in fines for Morocco’s players, Senegal players and match officials. Initially, the result stood.
When the CAF announced that Morocco would have the title and history would boast a default 3-0 victory, Senegal’s soccer federation was quick to respond, calling the decision “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable” in a statement released after the match.
Senegal leveled some heavier accusations, too, suggesting that it will pursue an independent investigation “into suspected corruption,” which it believes led to the decision.
Player reactions were immediate, too, with Senegal defender Moussa Niakhaté posting a photo on Instagram of himself holding the AFCON trophy with the caption “Come and get it! They’re crazy!”
Hakimi, who finished 6th in the Ballon d’Or rankings, and was named 2025 African Player of the Year, shared a cryptic post on the social media platform X the day of the verdict which read “Energy speaks, I don’t.”
Kamil Lahlou, a Duquesne student and Moroccan international, watched the topsy-turvy match live.
“It wasn’t soccer that I was watching,” Lahlou said. “It was like cinema. Even on the field, they were hitting each other and playing super aggressive. The referee was bad and the decisions were bad.”
Despite CAF’s verdict, it doesn’t feel like a win for Lahlou.
“I think it’s a good decision, but I disagree with the timing. They took way too long to give the decision. It’s been [two] months already. Even though they gave the cup to Morocco, as a Moroccan, I don’t feel this victory.”
The decision to overturn a match long after it has been settled sets a new precedent in soccer.
Matches have been replayed before, such as a 2016 World Cup Qualifier between Senegal and South Africa in which South Africa originally won 2-1. After awarding a handball against Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly when the ball clearly hit his knee in that match, the referee, Joseph Lamptey, was banned for life and found guilty of match manipulation.
The match was replayed a year later, and this time the Teranga Lions were victorious over the South Africans, 1-0.
In 2013, German team Bayer Leverkusen scored a “ghost goal” which saw a shot travel wide of the goal, but through a hole in the net. The referee mistakenly awarded the goal, which gave Leverkusen a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim.
In that case, the match was not replayed, judging that the referee “gave the goal in good faith,” according to the Bundesliga, Germany’s first division.
But neither of those decisions carried as much gravity as a cup final or completely reversed the final score of the match.
Despite the bizarre situation, Moroccan fans took to the streets, waving flags and honking horns to celebrate the delayed championship. Lahlou said he can understand the celebrations, even though there’s been so much confusion and anger about the decision.
“Most of Morocco is celebrating because it’s still an African Cup,” Lahlou said. “We haven’t [won] one for 40 years. I think it is normal that they are celebrating, even though we didn’t get it the right way.”
Rowan DuBois can be reached at duboisr1@duq.edu
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UNFORTUNATELY NOBODY CAN UNDERSTAND THIS , THIS WORLD IS SAID TO BELONG TO 666 , SOCCER RULES ARE MENT TO BE DICIDED WITHIN A SPECIFIC TIME, NOT TWO MONTHS AFTER, HUGE BRIBES WERE PAID I SWEAR WITH MY LIFE
I watched most CAF tournament matches both qualifying and actual with a doubt in referees. They’re obviously corrupt. The management is corrupt and obviously CAF president is too. As if winning the cup wasn’t stressful enough. Here’s to the shame of the continent, our motherland, Africa!
You lack home training 😒. Your comments about the CAF President shows that. Unfounded accusations is all people like you sit to make. Unam ikot
You’re right! Corruption is the right word to use. Morocco paid a bribe to CAT officers. Senegal fought hard and won!
The Senegalese team left the field regardless of the reason by law they have forfeited the game and thus they have lost by 3 goals. That’s the law.
When it comes to corruption and bribery, many people have talked about that the Egyptians said that there was corruption after they lost against Nigeria. When Algeria lost against Nigeria they said it was because of corruption. Anyone who loses seems to resort to corruption claims.
What about a Rematch
Great 👍
I think Senegal should just give the cup as its “Eid Al Fitr Zakat”. If people are so desperate to get the cup to this point, let them have it,… sad!!!!
Never new that there is so much corruption and racism in Soccer!! It is very unfortunate that we are led by the corrupt leaders. First time to see a tournament won in Boardroom!!! Down with Motsepe committee down you have fail Africans
Any one who voted for Tinubu doesn’t have morals. Sit this out.
Viva the Lions of Teranga. Conquerors of Brazil and England on the soccer field. Through corruption only can can have the AFCON, but they’re not it’s a hollow victory 🖐🏾. Mother earth 🌍 cries at such folly.
The innocent children are still victorious.
That’s Totally Not On. You can’t play with me, Win, and give Me e The Winnings. There are So many Questions Around This, How did They Work out the Three Goals for a team That Clearly Failed to Score a Penalty…??
Shows you’re bereft of knowledge in sports. Will you be willing to learn? I doubt it because it appears you’ve already taken sides.
It’s obviously a corrupted system, shameless individuals in CAF management…they’ve really ruined the beautiful game of football…
Had Morocco protested if Brahima Diaz had scored the last minute penalty? These are sour grapes. You cannot umpire a match then declare what you supervised as illegal. If it was indeed illegal then let CAF management resign because they committed an error. Otherwise swallow your pride and refund the bribes received.
Where does the so called law stood when Senegal staged a walk out for about 14 minutes? Came back and played for over 30 minutes and won. Who enjoyed the match till finished. CAF can you eat your cake and get it back?
The referee allowed the match to continue after what CAF claim that Senegalese went off the pitch, when did CAF start to officiate matches, it is not fair but an insult to sub saharan countries who are purely black.
CAF didn’t penelise any match official regardless of their poor and unprofessional way officiating during the match, so if it was arbitration, why only Senegal!
CAF decided due to the fact it wants to entice Morocco to remain in CAF tournaments regardless of their wish to exclude themselves from being African to being Arabs.
I wish all sub saharan countries would quit any game where Morocco is slated so as to let them play the honourable way of being untouchables.
This match was pure cinema, as Kamil Lahlou rightly pointed out. Brahim Díaz’s decision to attempt a Panenka penalty in such a high-stakes, high-tension moment was incredibly risky, and failing to convert it usually means the chance is gone. Seeing Senegal regain their composure to score in extra time showed immense mental strength. However, the subsequent reversal by CAF changes the narrative from one of athletic resilience to one of legal battles and fines. It’s a shame that such an intense final will now be remembered more for boardroom decisions than the left-footed power shot by Pape Gueye.
This is a very insightful point about sports psychology and coaching. Emotional intensity can definitely fuel performance, but without proper control it can also create pressure, mistakes, or conflicts during competition. I really appreciate how you highlighted the importance of emotion regulation in sports because it’s something many athletes struggle with silently. Coaches who help players channel emotions in a productive way often build stronger and more mentally resilient teams in the long run. This topic deserves far more attention in modern training programs. tipsignal