With FIFA president Gianni Infantino wincing and cringing as he watched on from the stands, the Africa Cup of Nations final descended into farce due to an extremely soft stoppage-time VAR decision that sparked ugly and worrying scenes in Rabat.
As a tense but entertaining game was seconds away from extra-time, South African referee Jean-Jacques Ndala pointed to the spot – after consulting the monitor – for a tiny tug on Ibrahim Diaz in the penalty area from a corner.
Senegal fans tried to storm the pitch in fury, while boss Pape Thiaw ordered his players to head down the tunnel and not allow the penalty to be taken. Just minutes earlier, Senegal had a goal chalked off for what looked like a legal move by Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye.
A long 17 minutes went by that threatened to turn extremely nasty both on and off the pitch, hundreds of riot police just about containing the furious Senegalese supporters while the players nearly threw fists on the touchline.
Infantino, bless him, must have wanted the turf to swallow him whole. ‘Today I feel… embarrassed,’ to slightly tweak one of his famous speeches. This is just another regretful episode for VAR and refereeing, though the unsavoury scenes that followed were inexcusable regardless.
And then, thankfully, the watching world breathed a collective sigh of relief as Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz, by far the best player of this tournament, chipped the penalty straight into the hands of Edouard Mendy.
No, it was not on purpose – and it was nearly as embarrassing as the incident that preceded it. With the weight of an expectant nation on his shoulder, Diaz bottled it and this stunning stadium was shook to silence as the hosts fumbled the chance of a lifetime.
‘Please remain calm,’ came the tannoy announcement – but it was hard to do that when Pape Gueye put Senegal ahead in the fourth minute of an extra-time period that at one point seemed extremely unlikely to happen, not due to the penalty but genuine safety concerns.
Tensions flare between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat in an incredibly dramatic AFCON final
It was, to put it bluntly, one of the most dramatic 30 minutes of football that one can remember, the sort of period that ought to prompt a book or its very own Wikipedia section. The 66,526 fans in this ground, a 2030 World Cup venue, could not believe their eyes.
For the 90 minutes that came before the referee saw his name in the headlines and ruined what was a compelling spectacle, either side could have triumphed in a thrilling contest between the heavily-backed hosts and their experienced opposition.
All day, it was like watching a pilgrimage as thousands upon thousands of fans draped in the red Moroccan flag descended on the same place.
As if everyone had decided to evacuate their homes at once, every man and his dog (or cats, which walk freely here) seemed to be headed for the stunning Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium – a 2030 World Cup venue.
Each one shaking with nerves but brimming with excitement and expectation.
Morocco are a serious force in world football after getting to the final four of the last World Cup in Qatar and on the cusp of the top 10 in the rankings, so winning their first Africa Cup of Nations in 50 years should have been easy. Right?
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo signals a penalty to Morocco after VAR’s intervention
Security block angry Senegal fans after the controversial late penalty is given
… but Brahim Diaz gets it horribly wrong with a Panenka spot kick, which is easily saved
From the hustle and bustle of mad Marrakesh to the sun-kissed ports of Agadir and Tangier, from the culture capital of Fes and the business centre of Casablanca all the way to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean here in Rabat, the whole nation was united in a sense of destiny.
But it was not to be — and Senegal are kings of Africa once again after their 2021 triumph.
If you are in the market for high-scoring affairs, this is probably the wrong continent. Across the previous 14 finals, only three had produced more than one goal, with six goalless draws and five nations triumphing with a nail-biting 1-0 victory.
What this game lacked in goals it certainly made up for in storylines – and it was easy to forget we were at a football match at times.
Hosts Morocco were fancied by many before the tournament but Senegal are perennial party poopers, this their third final in four.
Just like on Wednesday when all the pre-match talk was about Mohamed Salah and whether he could win an elusive continental gong but Senegal and Sadio Mane swiftly dashed those hopes.
Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye fires home at the start of extra time for the only goal
… and sparks delirium among his team-mates as they silenced a partisan crowd in Rabat
Though the Egyptians had a strong backing in that semi-final in Tangier, it was nothing like the ear-splitting noise that the Moroccans conjured up at this grand stadium.
But Senegal, with the likes of Mane, two Everton lads and plenty of other experienced heads, deserved to win. Toffees wizard Iliman Ndiaye twice came close in the first half and goal-scorer Gueye also should have scored in the first five minutes.
More than two hours after that chance, Gueye did score – to send the Senegal fans into bedlam.
Morocco, meanwhile, are a likeable team with Diaz and Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and they will be a side to watch in America this summer, with Walid Regragui’s men on the cusp of the FIFA top 10 after this tournament.
But likeable team or not, neutrals around the world would surely have leapt off their seats when Senegal scored. It was a dose of justice served and those ugly scenes soon turned into a mix of deep despair by 99 per cent of this ground, and utter euphoria for the rest.
