Ibrahim Diaz, a star of Morocco, squandered a stoppage-time penalty in the final against Senegal at the Mohammed V Stadium in Rabat, costing his country a possible title in AFCON 2025.
Penalty moment and controversy
The Congolese referee John Ndala awarded a late penalty to Morocco after reviewing the video, prompting both teams to watch the incident closely.
This decision sparked protests from Senegal's players and staff, led by Pape Thiaw, who even urged his players to walk off.
The match halted for several minutes as the Senegalese left the pitch, but Sadio Mane urged them to return and finish the game.
Resumption, extra time, and late winner
When play resumed, Diaz stepped up and shot weakly down the middle, allowing goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to save easily.
The miss sparked debate on social media, with some suggesting Diaz had staged the miss by agreeing with Senegal to continue, while others blamed a poor strike.
Minutes later, the referee blew the whistle, and the match went into extra time, only for Baba Gaye to fire Senegal ahead with a rocket in the 94th minute.
Punchlines: If penalties were coffee, Diaz just served a decaf in extra time. The crowd learned a new word for drama: football.
