Morocco have been awarded a 3–0 win in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final after Senegal were sensationally stripped of the title following an unprecedented ruling by the Confederation of African Football.
The Caf appeal board announced on Tuesday evening that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final” that was held in Rabat in January. During the match, head coach Pape Thiaw and some players left the pitch for 15 minutes in protest at Morocco being awarded a penalty. They eventually returned after being implored to by captain Sadio Mané, with Brahim Díaz’s subsequent spot‑kick being saved, sending the final into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the winning goal.
At an initial disciplinary hearing, Caf imposed fines of more than $1m and bans for players and officials from both sides but left the result untouched. However, the appeal board ruled that, under article 84 of the Afcon regulations, Senegal had forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco. The Senegalese federation was also found to have infringed article 82 through the conduct of its team.
Senegal are expected to appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Lyon defender Moussa Niakhaté, who played in the final, appeared to hit out at the ruling. “Come and get them,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of him holding the Afcon trophy. “They are crazy.”
Almost a million supporters had lined the streets of Dakar to celebrate Senegal’s second Afcon title a day after the final. Morocco had not won the competition since 1976 and were heavy favourites as hosts. The Moroccan football federation said in a statement that its approach had never been to challenge the sporting performance but solely to request the application of the competition’s regulations.
