Morocco awarded AFCON title as CAF overturns controversial defeat to Senegal

Morocco have been declared champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the results of their controversial 1-0 defeat to Senegal within the remaining was overturned by the Confederation of African Soccer (CAF).

Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner for Senegal to safe victory for the Lions of Teranga.

Nevertheless, that got here following outstanding scenes that noticed Senegal refuse to play after match hosts Morocco had been awarded a extremely contentious penalty in stoppage time.

After a delay of round 17 minutes, Senegal’s gamers returned to the pitch, and Brahim Diaz’s ill-advised panenka was saved, forcing further time.

Fury turned to unbridled pleasure for Senegal following Gueye’s winner, however CAF have now stripped them of the title following an attraction by Morocco.

An preliminary disciplinary listening to had seen CAF hand down a sequence of fines and bans for Senegal and Morocco gamers and officers, however the outcome was allowed to face.

However African soccer’s governing physique mentioned in a assertion launched on Tuesday that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the ultimate match” with the “results of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.

The attraction by the Moroccan Soccer Affiliation (FRMF) was deemed “admissible in kind” and subsequently upheld.

The CAF Attraction Board dominated that “via the conduct of its workforce”, Senegal had breached Article 82 of the AFCON rules.

Article 82 states that, ought to a workforce refuse to play or depart the sector earlier than the top of the allotted regulation time with out the permission of the referee, then they are going to be thought of the loser of the match and endure elimination.

That infringement triggered Article 84, which states that any workforce in breach of Article 82 might be eradicated with a 3-0 defeat.

Morocco wait belatedly ended

Defeat within the remaining was particularly painful for Morocco, with the Atlas Lions failing to finish a await a primary AFCON title since 1976.

However they will now belatedly rejoice claiming the title, albeit in weird circumstances. As well as, the CAF ruling serves as a big reprieve for Diaz for his terrible penalty, which might have stood as an notorious second in Moroccan soccer had the attraction been dismissed.

This will not be the top of the definitive finish of the matter, although, because the case may go to a different attraction on the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport.