The Africa Cup of Nations has been shaken by one of the most controversial decisions in its recent history. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially annulled the final result and declared Morocco champions after sanctioning Senegal for leaving the pitch.

The match, played on January 18, had originally ended in a 1-0 victory for Senegal after extra time. However, the game reached a boiling point during stoppage time when referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to Morocco following a VAR review for a foul on Brahim Díaz.

The decision sparked outrage from Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, who instructed his players to walk off the field in protest. Although the team returned around 17 minutes later, the incident was documented in the referee’s report. The penalty was ultimately saved by Edouard Mendy, and the match concluded shortly after.

During extra time, Pape Gueye had scored what seemed to be the winning goal for Senegal. However, Morocco filed an official appeal, and CAF ruled that Senegal violated regulations by abandoning the match, specifically Articles 82 and 84, resulting in a 3-0 forfeit.

The Senegalese federation has condemned the decision and confirmed it will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Meanwhile, players like Chemsdine Talbi are now officially recognized as champions with Morocco, while Habib Diarra and his teammates face the possibility of having their victory erased.

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