HIBAPRESS – Sports
The Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) issued an official decision declaring the Senegal national team defeated in the final of the 2025 African Cup of Nations Morocco, with a score of 3-0 in favor of the Moroccan national team. This exciting development redrew the contours of the "Atlas Lions" winning the continental title.
Official decision based on regulations
CAF explained in a statement issued on Tuesday evening that this decision came in application of Article 84 of the African Cup of Nations regulations, which clearly states that any team that withdraws during the match is considered a loser with a score of 3-0, with the possibility of imposing additional penalties.
Details of what happened in the final
The final match witnessed a dramatic scenario after the referee announced a penalty in favor of the Moroccan national team in stoppage time, a decision that sparked strong protests from the Senegalese national team players before they withdrew from the field.
After several interventions, including the intervention of star Sadio Mané, the players returned to resume the match, but tension remained present in the atmosphere of the match.
Losing the title on the field
Despite the return of play, Brahim Diaz missed the penalty he executed in the "Panenka" style, and the Senegalese team was later able to decide the match in its favor with a score of 1-0 after resorting to extra time, in a crowning that seemed deserved on the field.
Legal decision that changes the balance
However, the Appeals Committee reconsidered the events that occurred, also relying on Article 82, which considers the withdrawing team a loser without specifying a waiting period for its return, unlike Article 83, which relates to the presence of teams before the start of matches.
Based on this, the Moroccan national team was officially declared the winner of the continental title with a score of 3-0, in a legal decision that changed the balance of the final and gave Morocco a historic crowning outside the green rectangle.
