Rabat – The Senegalese national team won the 35th Africa Cup of Nations. Morocco hosted the football tournament. Senegal defeated the Moroccan team in the final match.
The match took place on Sunday evening. It was held at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The first half ended in a goalless draw. The score remained level during the second half. Both teams made mutual attempts to score.
In the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time (90+7), a refereeing controversy occurred. The referee awarded a penalty kick to the Moroccan team. Senegalese players vehemently protested this decision. They threatened to withdraw from the game. However, they retracted their threat. Play then resumed.
Moroccan player Brahim Diaz stepped up to take the penalty. He shot the ball carelessly. The Senegalese goalkeeper easily saved it. The regulation time ended with a goalless draw.
Both teams proceeded to extra time. Just three minutes later, Senegal scored the winning goal. Pape Iliasane netted the only goal. This secured the championship title for his country.
With this victory, Senegal claimed its second African Cup title. The host nation missed its chance for the championship. This was due to a crucial penalty miss in the final moments.