Late in the match, Senegal left the field after Morocco were awarded a highly questionable Video Assistant Referee (VAR) penalty, moments after a potential Senegal winner was controversially sent off, without even a VAR check. What followed was confusion, confrontation and a spectacle that overshadowed the continent’s biggest match.
“It was never my intention to go against the principles of the game I love,” Thiaw wrote on Instagram.
“I have simply tried to protect my players from injustice. What some may perceive as a violation of the rules is nothing more than an emotional response to the bias of the situation. After consultation, we have decided to resume the match and go for the trophy.”
Sadio Mané eventually persuaded his teammates to return, allowing Brahim Díaz to take Morocco’s penalty. Díaz missed with the weakest Paneka ever in a major final, and that was the last kick of regulation. Pape Guaye scored a screamer in extra time to give Senegal a 1-0 victory.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino – who reportedly refused to hand over the winners’ trophy to Senegal at the ceremony – condemned the strike the next day, while the Moroccan Football Federation said it was taking legal action with FIFA and CAF, arguing that the incident had “a significant impact on the normal conduct of the match and the performance of the players.”
The scenes on the pitch were chaotic and for much of the match there were Moroccan ball boys and players repeatedly trying to steal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel from his goal. It even led to an ugly tug-of-war with Senegal’s reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, who was sent to protect the towel. Even when play resumed, tensions remained high. Fighting was still going on when Díaz stepped up to take the penalty.
The stoppage for the walk-off lasted about 15 minutes, an eternity in a final and ultimately a bad advertisement for the competition.
“We experienced an exceptional tournament with a great organization, which unfortunately ended dramatically,” said Thiaw.
The Senegalese Football Federation added to the controversy by criticizing a lack of ‘fair play’ from the Moroccan hosts in the build-up to the final, with them being harassed upon arrival in Rabat, having to change hotels and having insufficient training facilities. All this created a feeling of discontent when the late goal was disallowed and the penalty was awarded.
“I apologize if I have offended anyone,” Thiaw said, “but football fans will understand that emotion is an integral part of this sport.”
Emotion is inevitable, but your team is unlikely to go unpunished in front of the world at a major tournament, no matter the provocation.
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