CAF awards Morocco Africa Cup of Nations after Senegal forfeit two months on | OneFootball

CAF's Appeals Committee has awarded Morocco the Africa Cup of Nations title by a 3-0 forfeit, two months after January's final in Rabat. The federation said in a statement that Senegal were deemed to have lost the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final.

The January final featured several flashpoints. Earlier, Senegal's 1-0 was overturned for an alleged foul on Achraf Hakimi by Congolese referee Jean Jacques Ndala Ngambo.

Late in normal time, a penalty to Morocco prompted captain Sadio Mané and his team to leave the pitch in protest. They returned minutes later, and Brahim's attempted Panenka was saved by Edouard Mendy.

In extra time, Villarreal's Pape Gueye struck a superb goal that appeared to seal the trophy for Senegal on the night.

The decision finds Senegal's walk-off fell within Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, which sanction a team that abandons the field even if it later resumes play.

Morocco's protest was upheld, the result recorded as 3-0, and all other requests were rejected.

Gueye and his team-mates are stripped of the title, while Ilias Akhomach, owned by Villarreal and on loan at Rayo, becomes an Africa Cup winner.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo