Six Premier League stars win 2025 AFCON – as Senegal stun hosts Morocco in incredible late drama

Morocco fails to win on home soil

Six Premier League players are now African champions, as Habib Diarra, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Ismaila Sarr, Pape Matar Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye were part of the winning Senegal side.

But it was star of La Liga side Villarreal, Pape Gueye, who scored the winner in extra time to upset the hosts of the tournament.

The midfielder netted in the winner in the 94th minute of the game that was full of tension and controversy.

The AFCON final wasn’t without its farcical moments, as Senegal players stormed off the pitch to protest a penalty that was awarded to Morocco late in injury time.

However, Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz wasted a golden opportunity to make his country African champions, as Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy stood still against his panenka, and the game went on to extra-time.

Initially, the Senegal players were left furious by the referee’s decision to disallow for a foul the goal they scored in the second minute of injury time, and moments before the penalty for Morocco was awarded.

Chaotic scenes as Senegal players stormed off the pitch, causing long delay

The decision by the officials to cancel Senegal's goal and then award a penalty to Morocco led to fights between some of the Moroccan substitutes and their opposing players.

While at their end of the stadium, the Senegalese fans jumped down among the photographers and tried storming the pitch. One fan even threw a chair onto the pitch, as they were held back by a long line of police.

As a result, Diaz’s penalty was taken following a 14-minute delay in injury time, with the Senegal players protesting and the coach Pape Bouna Thiaw ordering them to leave the pitch.

It was former Liverpool man Sadio Mane who persuaded his teammates to return, however.

“I convinced the team to return to the pitch, for the fans to watch the end. I told them ‘no matter what happens, we finish it on the pitch’ and we did that”, Mane said after the match.

Senegal scored in the fourth minute of extra-time stunning the home fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Team captain Sadio Mane won possession in midfield and found Idrissa Gana Gueye, who then assisted Pape Gueye, with the 26-year-old unleashing an unstoppable shot with his left foot, giving no chance to Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

“We really wanted to win here. It was a very difficult match, but we gave everything”, Senegal’s hero said after the match.

However, Senegal’s protests and their storming off the pitch might leave a stain on an otherwise impressive tournament.

Second AFCON in three editions for the Teranga Lions

For Senegal this was the second Africa Cup of Nations title in the last three editions, as they defeated Egypt to win it for the first time in history four years ago.

Sadio Mane declared before the tournament that the final would be his last ever AFCON game, but he and his teammates can now look forward to the World Cup in June as champions of the continent.

For hosts Morocco, the wait for another AFCON title continues, as they last won it 50 years ago.

The agonising end to the final, and the tournament, made many of their fans leave the stadium before the final whistle.

Walid Regragui, Morocco’s coach, said that his players were “really disappointed” for the Moroccan people.

“When you get ‍a penalty in the last minute, you can see victory very close, but in the end, football catches up with you”, he said following the heartbreaking defeat.

“We congratulate Senegal, even if what we showed of African football was disappointing, given everything that happened when the penalty was awarded”, he concluded.

Nigeria wins bronze medal at AFCON after beating Egypt on penalties

On Saturday, the game was far less tense as Nigeria beat Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout for third place at the tournament.

The teams drew 0-0 in normal time, and no extra-time was played for the consolation of a bronze medal.

Ademola Lookman scored the winning penalty in Saturday’s match, as Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved two penalties, those of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush.

This was the second consecutive penalty shootout for the Super Eagles’ following a scoreless draw, after losing the semifinal on penalties to hosts Morocco on Wednesday.