Morocco failed at the last hurdle to bring home the long-awaited Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy, losing to a strong Senegalese side in a final which witnessed a myriad of dramatic moments. Meanwhile, the women's AFCON draw was unveiled in Rabat, while Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal continued their winning streak.
Morocco's AFCON dream ends as Senegal edge Atlas Lions in dramatic final
Morocco’s dreams of winning AFCON for the first time in 50 years was dashed by a defiant Senegal on Sunday, who won 1-0 in Rabat thanks to an added-time goal by Pape Gueye, in a dramatic final full of drama and controversy.
The match saw the Senegalese team walk off the pitch towards the end of the second half, after Brahim Diaz was awarded a controversial penalty which he failed to convert.
Both teams went into the final with high expectations. Morocco were playing on home soil and aiming to break a half century African trophy drought, having reached their first final since 2004. Meanwhile, Senegal went in with arguably their strongest team in years, with talisman Sadio Mane leading the squad, hoping to lift the trophy for the second time in their history.
A cagey, tense match saw both Morocco and Senegal creating few chances to appear on the scoreboard, with the Teranga Lions edging Morocco in the first 45 minutes, and the Atlas Lions frustrated at being unable to convert a handful of chances into goals.
A nasty collision between Neil El Aynaoui and El Hadji Malick Diouf prompted the match to be stopped for at least eight minutes due to the Moroccan midfielder bleeding heavily from the eye area. After being patched up and tested for concussion, he was given the greenlight to continue play.
In the 92nd minute, Senegal managed to break the deadlock when Abdoulaye Seck hit the post with Ismaila Sarr nodding in the rebound.
Senegal’s joy was cut short after the referee controversially disallowed the goal, based on a foul on Achraf Hakimi, and minutes later, Morocco's Diaz won a controversial penalty, which prompted a protest from the Senegalese side.
Tensions flared and Senegal coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch before captain Mane convinced them to return. Amid the drama, Diaz fluffed the last-grasp penalty after waiting for 14 minutes to take it.
The competition’s top scorer attempted a Panenka-style penalty, which landed straight into the arms of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and with the game 0-0, Diaz’s miss forced the game into extra-time.
Already riled by the disallowed goal and the missed penalty, Senegal appeared even more determined to find the net, and did so just a few minutes into extra time thanks to Guaye.
A visibly defeated Morocco, particularly Diaz, could not manage a comeback, breaking players and fans' hearts who had high hopes for the team.
Meanwhile, Egypt finished in fourth place overall, after an uninspired third-place play-off against Nigeria on Saturday. The game was forced into a penalty shoot-out, which, to the surprise of many, saw star players Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush miss their attempts, leading to a Super Eagles bronze medal victory.
WAFCON draw sees rivals Morocco and Algeria in same group
As the men’s AFCON concluded in dramatic fashion in Morocco, it will soon be time for the women to take centre stage and vie for African glory.
On Thursday, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations’ draw took place in Rabat, the Moroccan capital - the host country for this year’s edition.
The tournament will feature 16 teams for the first time, where Nigeria are expected to aim defending their 2024 title, and runners-up Morocco attempt to go one step further.
The hosts were drawn against their North Africa rivals Algeria, as well as heavyweights Senegal and Kenya.
In Group B, South Africa, the second-highest-ranked women’s team in the world, will be up against Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania.
Group C will see holders Nigeria, who are also the highest-ranked country, face Egypt, Zambia, and Malawi.
Last but not least, Group D will feature Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, and Cape Verde.
The tournament will take place in Morocco for the third consecutive time, running from 17 March to 3 April, with matches played across stadiums in Rabat, Casablanca, and Fes.
Al-Hilal extend Saudi Pro League table lead
Riyadh’s Al-Hilal reestablished their seven-point lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League table with a 2-1 win over Neom on Sunday.
Visitors Al-Hilal initially went 1-0 down after right-back Mohammed Al-Burayk put the recently-promoted team ahead in the 42nd minute. The Riyadh club, however, managed to level the game minutes after the second half began, thanks to Hassan al-Tambakti, who headed the ball home following a corner from Reuben Neves.
A penalty from the Portuguese international in the 66th minute was enough to seal a win for Al-Hilal, thus extending their comfortable lead at the top of the Saudi league table.
Al-Hilal now have 41 points from 15 matches, with Al-Nassr trailing in second place with 34 points. Al-Taawoun are in third place with the same amount of points.
Sunday’s win comes after staging a stunning comeback against Al-Nassr in the Riyadh derby on Monday. The team in blue had gone 1-0 down to their rivals in the first half, after captain Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for the away team.
Al-Nassr’s lead didn’t last long, and Al-Hilal began staging their comeback after Salem Al-Dawsari levelled the game with a penalty in the 57th minute. Following an anxious 24 minutes, Mohammed Kanno gave the hosts the lead in the 81st minute. Neves once again extended Al-Hilal’s lead with a stoppage-time penalty, following a foul on Al-Dawsari in the penalty area.
Elsewhere in the league, Al-Nassr and Al-Taawoun won their games on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Al-Nassr ended their losing streak with a thrilling 3-2 win over Al-Shabab, which saw Ronaldo's side win late in the game after losing a 2-0 lead over their Riyadh rivals.
Jeddah outfit Al-Ittihad, however, continued their streak of unimpressive results with a 1-0 loss to Al-Ettifaq.