OFFICIAL: Senegal suffers defeat, Morocco crowned CAN Cup champion

CAF's shocking decision results in Senegal being handed a 0-3 loss in the AFCON final following a walk-off protest incident, awarding a highly controversial victory to Morocco.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has issued a highly controversial ruling, officially declaring Senegal a 0-3 loss in the AFCON final after the team walked off the pitch to protest a penalty decision in the final seconds.

The incident originated from the final match held in Rabat on January 18th, when Congolese referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty in the last moment of the match after consulting VAR. The foul was determined to have been committed by El Hadji Malick Diouf against Brahim Diaz of Morocco.

Earlier, Senegal had shown extreme frustration when Ismaila Sarr's late goal was disallowed due to a minor collision. As Brahim Diaz prepared to take the penalty, coach Pape Thiaw unexpectedly ordered the entire team to leave the pitch in protest, despite Sadio Mane's attempts to intervene.

Although the match later resumed and Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal in extra time, Morocco argued that the match should have ended immediately when Senegal refused to play.

After review, CAF's Appeals Committee sided with Morocco. The body declared Senegal a 0-3 loss due to violation of competition rules, simultaneously annulling the previous ruling by the Disciplinary Committee.

This decision will undoubtedly provoke outrage in Senegal, where fans had celebrated an emotional championship victory. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also criticized the "unacceptable" actions from the West African team.

Coach Pape Thiaw was suspended for five matches and fined $100,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Additionally, players such as Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, and Achraf Hakimi also received sanctions, though these apply only to future AFCON qualifying matches.

On Morocco's side, the country's football federation stated they only demanded the proper application of regulations, reaffirming their commitment to respecting rules and transparency in continental competitions.