After all, Morocco lost but won the CAN

Senegal won on the field but lost “in the secretariat” for having left the pitch towards the changing rooms, during the final.

O Senegal he was punished with defeat of the final and African Cup of Nations (CAN) of football by the African Confederation (CAF). Thus, the champion becomes the host Morocco, which had been beaten by .

The basis of CAF’s decision is the fact that, already in stoppage time for the match, played on February 18, the Senegalese had abandoned the lawn and headed to the changing rooms, ending up, later, returning to the game, in protest because the referee scored big penalty in favor of Morocco.

In an ending that seemed like a movie, Senegal scored in the 91st minute. But the referee understood that Seck had made a (very dubious) foul on Hakimi, before the accurate header. Despite huge protests from Senegalese, the shot didn’t even go to VAR because the play was interrupted before the goal. Bid disallowed.

In the 95th minute, a penalty was awarded – much contested too – in favor of Morocco. And that’s when Senegal’s players started to leave the pitch, after an appeal from the Senegal coach himself. Sadio Mané convinced his compatriots to return later.

In Rabat, with a packed stadium, Brahim Díaz tried to end the challenge with a Panenka penalty, ending up handing the ball, loosely, to the goalkeeper, who didn’t even need to move to catch the ball.

In extra time, Pape Gueye scored the only goal of the match and made Senegal achieve something rare in 35 editions of the competition, by winning the final against the host.

This feat had only been achieved by Ghana in Tunisia, in 1965, and in Libya, in 1992, in addition to Cameroon, which, in 2000, beat Nigeria, which co-organized the tournament with Ghana.

In addition to the 3-0 defeat, and also as a consequence of the abandonment of the field, the Senegalese coach, Pape Thiaw, was suspended for five games, with both federations also being punished with high monetary penalties.