Senegal driven by ‘injustice’ in AFCON final victory, says 'hero' Pape Gueye

Christopher Sededzi Kwame 09:39 - 19 January 2026

Senegal players celebrate winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday. Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

Senegal beat Morocco in a dramatic AFCON final as Pape Gueye says injustice inspired victory after a walk-off protest and extra-time winner sealed the title.

Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye says a powerful sense of injustice fuelled the team’s dramatic Africa Cup of Nations triumph after a chaotic final against Morocco.

Senegal players reacted furiously after a late goal was ruled out for a marginal foul before Morocco were awarded a contentious penalty moments later.

Several members of the squad walked off the pitch in protest, while unrest broke out in the stands as some Senegal fans attempted to force their way onto the field and clashed with security officials.

The disruption resulted in a stoppage of nearly 20 minutes before Brahim Diaz was finally able to take the penalty. His weak effort was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, ensuring the score remained level.

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Gueye ultimately settled the contest with a spectacular strike in the fourth minute of extra time, sealing a 1–0 win and delivering Senegal’s second continental crown.

The Villarreal midfielder said after the match, praising Sadio Mané’s role in restoring order,

We had a feeling of injustice. Just before the penalty, we thought we should have had a goal, and the referee didn’t go to VAR

Sadio told us to come back on, and we remobilised. Edouard then made the save, we stayed focused, got the goal and won the game.

Head coach Pape Thiaw admitted that his decision to lead the walk-off was driven by emotion rather than reason.

Thiaw told beIN Sports,

After thinking about it, I realised that I shouldn’t have asked them to go off. I apologise for that

Sometimes you react in the heat of the moment. Before that we scored a goal that was not given. But now we accept that referees do make mistakes, and we apologise.

The win marks Senegal’s second AFCON championship, following their penalty shoot-out triumph over Egypt in 2021. Remarkably, Gueye’s strike was the first goal Senegal have ever scored in four AFCON final appearances.

Despite late withdrawals — including Krepin Diatta and Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr — Senegal’s squad rallied.

Gueye said,

We feel pride. We wanted to win tonight. We all saw what happened at the end of the match, but we took the decision to come back onto the pitch and give everything, which we did

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui condemned the disruptions, insisting they cast a negative spotlight on African football.

The image we gave of African football was rather shameful. Having to stop the game for more than 10 minutes with the world watching is not very classy

He suggested the delay unsettled Diaz, who had been one of the tournament’s standout players.

He had a lot of time before taking the penalty, which must have disturbed him. But we can’t change what happened.

Regragui accepted the defeat with humility.

Football sometimes is cruel, and today we lost. We know in a final that you get few chances and you need to take them.

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