🏆 Senegal beat Morocco in controversial AFCON final | OneFootball

Senegal have won the Africa Cup of Nations after a controversial final with Morocco.

Scorers: Pape Gueye 93'

Iliman Ndiaye enjoyed the first clear-cut chance of the contest as he latched onto Nicolas Jackson's through pass but saw his shot thwarted by Yassine Bounou.

Minutes later, the hosts looked set to break the deadlock when Abde Ezzalzouli sent an enticing ball into the box that Nayef Aguerd failed to meet at close range.

Walid Regragui's side kept the pressure on after the break with Ayoub El Kaabi flashing a shot wide of Édouard Mendy's goal from Bilal El Khannouss's cross.

The Lions of Teranga produced a superb late effort through Ibrahim Mbaye's long-range effort which Bounou had to beat away at the start of eight minutes' added time.

Ismaïla Sarr bundled home a potential winner on the rebound after Idrissa Gueye's header came back off the post but it was disallowed for a foul on Achraf Hakimi.

There was further controversy as Morocco were awarded a penalty for El Hadji Malick Diouf bringing down Brahim Díaz, which the Real Madrid man prepared to take.

Pape Thiaw responded to the contentious decision by attempting to take Senegal's players off the pitch in protest at the VAR conclusion by referee Jean Jacques Ndala.

After a 13-minute delay, Díaz stepped up but fired a Panenka kick tamely at Mendy in the game's last action to send a remarkable showpiece into extra time.

Senegal broke the deadlock through Pape Gueye's powerful left-footed effort into the top corner as Morocco conceded a first goal from open play at the tournament.

Abde attempted to stir the fightback with a cross from the left which Youssef En-Nesyri sent wide of Mendy's near post with a stooping header.

The Atlas Lions continued to push for a leveller in the second period of extra time and hit the crossbar through Aguerd's header from an Ilias Akhomach set-piece delivery.

Senegal spurned an incredible chance to build on their lead when Cherif Ndiaye missed an open goal after Bounou saved his initial effort at a counterattack.

But Thiaw's side managed to hold on to win their second AFCON in three editions.

📸 SEBASTIEN BOZON - AFP or licensors