Senegal Defeats Morocco in Extra Time to Claim Second Africa Cup After VAR Penalty Controversy

Overview

• Pape Gueye scored three minutes into extra time to clinch a 1–0 victory in Rabat.
• A VAR-reviewed penalty for Morocco in stoppage time led to a brief Senegal walk-off before Édouard Mendy saved Brahim Díaz’s panenka attempt.
• Nigeria finished third after a 0–0 draw and a 4–2 win on penalties over Egypt in Casablanca.
• Senegal’s federation filed an official complaint alleging inadequate security, accommodation issues, limited training access and unfair ticket allocation in Rabat.
• Morocco’s staging of the tournament earned broad praise as a strong rehearsal for its 2030 World Cup co-hosting role, despite the contentious finale.