The AFCON 2025 remaining, performed on Sunday, 18 January 2026, between Senegal and host nation Morocco, was overshadowed by controversy following a dramatic late penalty choice.
Softfootball gathered, The flashpoint got here within the 90+7 minute, when the referee awarded a penalty to Morocco throughout added time. The choice was instantly rejected by Senegal’s gamers and officers, who believed the decision was unjust, particularly after feeling a Senegal purpose moments earlier had been wrongly disallowed.
Within the warmth of the second, Senegal’s head coach instructed his gamers to depart the pitch, resulting in scenes of confusion and pressure across the one hundred and first minute, with the ultimate briefly on the point of collapse.
Explaining the incident afterward, the Senegal coach stated:
“Fairly merely, as a result of we didn’t agree with the choice. I don’t need to dwell an excessive amount of on that particular second of the match, however after reflecting on it, I didn’t like how I acted.
In a second of anger, I informed the gamers to depart the pitch, and I apologize to the world of soccer for that. As soon as I calmed down and thought it over, I requested them to return to the sphere, and all of us noticed what occurred after that.”
When additional requested whether or not he thought-about instructing the gamers to depart as a mistake, he responded:
“Sure. Generally we act out of nerves as a result of we have been questioning: was the penalty even legitimate? Particularly since we had scored a purpose simply earlier than that wasn’t counted.
Nonetheless, we settle for the referee’s errors, as that’s a part of soccer. We aren’t making excuses; in the end, we’ve provided our apologies to the sport.”
Because the standoff continued, Senegal captain Sadio Mané stepped in. Across the 107th minute, he was seen urging his teammates to return to the pitch, shouting:
“HEY, COME BACK! WE ARE GOING TO PLAY LIKE MEN!”
Play ultimately resumed, and within the 113th minute, Morocco’s Brahim Díaz stepped as much as take the penalty. Making an attempt a Panenka, he missed, drawing loud reactions throughout the stadium.
The episode sparked widespread debate, with many praising Mané’s management and questioning the officiating. For Senegal, the missed penalty was seen as poetic justice in what stays one of the chaotic and controversial AFCON finals in historical past.
