A disputed penalty nearly derailed Senegal’s AFCON final, but Pape Gueye says the sense of injustice pushed them to finish the job.
The match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat was still goalless deep in injury time at the end of normal time when Morocco were awarded a spot-kick following a VAR check for a challenge on Brahim Diaz.
Already furious at having a goal disallowed at the other end for a soft-looking foul minutes earlier, Senegal reacted angrily to the decision and some of their players walked off the pitch in disgust.
Meanwhile trouble broke out in the stands as some Senegalese fans tried to enter the field of play and became involved in fighting with security personnel.
The game was held up for almost 20 minutes before Diaz could take the penalty, and his weak kick was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
AFRICA PICKS: Football tips and predictions
Gueye then went on to score a brilliant goal in the fourth minute of extra time to give his team a 1-0 win and hand them the trophy.
“We had a feeling of injustice. Just before the penalty we thought we should have had a goal and the referee didn’t go to VAR,” said Villarreal midfielder Gueye, who added that Sadio Mane had urged the team to come back onto the pitch for the penalty.
“Sadio told us to come back on and we remobilised. Edouard then made the save, we stayed focused, got the goal and won the game.”
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said he had told his team to walk off in the first place because they disagreed with the penalty decision, but he admitted that he should not have done so.
“After thinking about it, I realised that I shouldn’t have asked them to go off. I apologise for that,” Thiaw told French broadcaster beIN Sports.
“Sometimes you can react in the heat of the moment. Before that we scored a goal that was not given. But now we accept that referees do make mistakes and we apologise.”
It was Senegal’s second Cup of Nations title, four years after they claimed their first in Cameroon with a penalty shoot-out win in the final against Egypt.
The Lions of Teranga have also twice been runners-up, and remarkably Gueye’s goal was the first Senegal have ever scored in four AFCON final appearances in total.
“We are very happy with the victory tonight,” said Gueye, who pointed out that three Senegal players — including regular starting right-back Krepin Diatta and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr — had been last-minute withdrawals from the final.
“We feel pride. We wanted to win tonight. We all saw what happened at the end of the match but we took the decision to come back onto the pitch and give everything, which we did.”
– AFP
Photo: Zamani Makautsi/Gallo Images
