The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has strongly condemned the actions of Senegal’s players and fans during their dramatic AFCON match against Morocco on Sunday.
The match, tied 0-0 deep into injury time, was marred when most of the Senegalese squad walked off the pitch after Morocco was awarded a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz.
CAF expressed concern over both the players’ refusal to continue and the crowd disturbances.
The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated,” a CAF spokesperson said. Teams and players are expected to act responsibly, respecting the decisions of match officials and the Laws of the Game.”
Senegal’s former Liverpool star Sadio Mane remained on the field, urging his teammates to return for the penalty. The incident came minutes after a Senegal goal had been disallowed for what the team considered a soft foul.
Tensions in the stadium escalated further as some fans attempted to enter the pitch, clashing with security personnel.
Despite the disruption, Morocco eventually took the lead in extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring in the fourth minute to secure a 1-0 victory. Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy had earlier denied a weak ‘panenka’ penalty from Brahim Diaz, following nearly 20 minutes of delay.
CAF reiterated that disciplinary action would follow, warning that such behaviour threatens the integrity of African football.
“We expect all relevant disciplinary bodies to take appropriate measures against any misconduct,” the spokesperson said, adding that teams must set the right example for supporters both in stadiums and around the world.
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