Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has accused Senegal's Pape Thiaw of bringing shame on African football after a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final. The match descended into controversy when Senegal's players briefly walked off the pitch after a goal was disallowed and Morocco were awarded a penalty.
Brahim Díaz then missed the resulting spot-kick with a poorly executed Panenka, and Senegal went on to win in extra time. Regragui said the behaviour of Thiaw, who had urged his players to leave the field, was dishonourable. "The image we've given of Africa is shameful," he said. "What Pape did does not honour Africa."
Regragui also acknowledged his side's missed opportunity, saying: "We were one minute from being African champions. That's football. It's often cruel. We missed what for some was the opportunity of a lifetime." He faced significant criticism after the match, with several journalists calling for his resignation, despite a 26-game unbeaten run since leading Morocco to the World Cup semi-finals.
Senegal goalscorer Pape Gueye defended the walk-off, saying: "What we felt was injustice. There had been a foul for us and the referee chose not to look at the VAR." He added that Sadio Mané had urged the team to return to the pitch and "give everything".
The post-match press conference itself was chaotic, with arguments between Senegalese and Moroccan journalists. Thiaw entered to mixed cheers and boos, and a mass walkout by the Moroccan press followed. The conference was eventually abandoned, a suitably bizarre end to a bitterly contested final.
