CAF awards Morocco AFCON after final chaos, Senegal have 21 days to appeal | OneFootball

CAF’s appeals jury has awarded Morocco the last AFCON 3-0 over Senegal after final-night incidents, overturning a ruling that had upheld Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time win. As reported by L'Équipe, Tuesday’s verdict has plunged African football into turmoil.

The final descended into confusion after VAR gave Morocco a penalty. Senegal, urged by coach Pape Thiaw, left the pitch for long minutes, returned, then won in extra time through Pape Gueye after Brahim Diaz missed the spot-kick.

Moroccan officials pursued every route to reverse the result, angered by an initial failed appeal. They then sought to postpone the Women’s AFCON, which was moved to July and August with the host still unconfirmed.

Behind the scenes, Morocco kept up pressure on CAF leaders, notably president Patrice Motsepe. The federation believed Senegal should be sanctioned and was perplexed when initial penalties were deemed equivalent. Gianni Infantino had sharply criticised Senegal’s conduct on his social channels after the match.

The federation marked the ruling with a Tuesday statement and plans to speak in greater detail on Wednesday. That statement framed its approach as applying the regulations rather than disputing teams’ performances.

How the rest of Africa accepts the decision remains unclear, with rows over refereeing and accommodation already clouding the closing days. A legal battle now heads to CAS, with Senegal having 21 days from notification to appeal, and the court can overturn decisions. Meanwhile, some Senegal fans are serving prison terms in Rabat, and the true outcome may not be known for weeks.

Source: L'Équipe