Final Whispers and a Rocket: Senegal Clinches AFCON Glory Over Morocco

AFCON Final Drama: Senegal Seizes the Title in Rabat

“A football match won’t break the ties between Senegal and Morocco,” a line echoing the spirit of the event, underscored the atmosphere surrounding the final.

Pape Gueye, the Senegalese midfielder, praised the warm reception his side received from Moroccan fans on their road to the final and insisted the dramatic finish would not sour bilateral relations between the nations. The Senegalese went on to win their second Africa Cup of Nations title by defeating the host country 1-0 after extra time, in a encounter packed with tension before the whistle.

The match looked set to go into extra time when the referee, Jan Nadala, a Congolese official, disallowed a goal from Senegal and then pointed to a Morocco penalty after a VAR review. The ensuing kick was taken by Diaz, but he shot straight down the middle and was superbly saved by Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, keeping the scores level and the drama alive.

Following the decision, Senegal’s players and staff voiced their displeasure, with captain Sadio Mané urging his teammates to return and finish the match. After a short delay, the players returned to the pitch, continuing the pursuit of victory as the clock ticked toward extra time. The heroes finally emerged in the dying moments of normal time as Diaz’s moment on the spot defied the laws of unpredictability—yet the ball found its way safely into Mendy’s hands, an error the keeper erased with composure under pressure.

In the extra period, the momentum swung decisively in favor of Senegal. A rocket of a shot from Papé Gueye found the net in the 94th minute, securing the winning goal and lifting the trophy for a second time in Senegal’s history. In remarks to RMC, Gueye recounted the atmosphere, noting that fans roared while his teammates showed resolve, backing each other to the end.

Mendy’s save and the late goal capped a match that featured emotional highs and lows, on-field protests and a clear message from the Senegal camp: sport can unify, even when rivals push to the brink. Despite the rising tensions, Gueye highlighted how the Senegal squad felt embraced in Rabat and Tangier, and how the team’s spirit helped them persevere through the toughest moments.

As the trophy finally returned to Dakar, the broader message from Senegal was one of gratitude for the hospitality shown in Morocco and a reminder that football—and friendship—endure beyond a whistle. The celebration was not just about the win, but about the journey and the ties that football can strengthen between nations.

Punchline time: If football were a sniper, this game would be a perfect headshot—perfect timing, decisive impact, and a lot of people saying, “How did that just happen?”

Punchline 2: In football, as in life, the best shots are the ones you take with swagger, even when the crowd holds its breath—and yes, the trophy always looks best when it lands in the right hands.