The final of the African Cup took place breathtakingly and only really exploded in the final minutes of official play time.
Drama escalated from the 90th minute. In the third minute of added time, Abdoulaye Seck put the ball into Morocco's net, but Senegal's goal was disallowed after referee Jean-Jacques Gambo Ndala determined a foul earlier.
Just 5 minutes later, controversy continued to erupt when referee Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty. This decision caused strong reactions from the coaching staff and Senegalese players. Head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw even asked the whole team to leave the field, causing the final to be interrupted for nearly 20 minutes.
After many persuasive efforts from the organizers, Senegal returned to play. The penalty was scored in the 90+24 minute, but Brahim Diaz missed a golden opportunity when he unsuccessfully executed a panenka kick, allowing the opponent's goalkeeper to easily save it.
The two teams closed the official 90 minutes with a 0-0 draw and were forced to enter extra time in an extremely tense atmosphere.
In the 94th minute, the decisive moment of the match appeared. Pape Gueye rushed up from the second line and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, the ball went powerfully and dangerously, making the Moroccan goalkeeper completely helpless, opening the score for Senegal.
That only goal became the end of the controversial and emotional final.
After the final whistle, the Moroccan players collapsed on the field in tears, while Senegal burst into joy. The "Teranga lions" officially crowned the African Cup for the second time in their last three appearances, affirming the position of a leading force in continental football.
