When expectations were on Morocco to lift the much desired AFCON title in front of their home fans, Senegal came up at the top at the end of a chaotic and controversial AFCON final. The showpiece saw Pape Gueye smashed in an extra-time winner to claim a 1-0 victory but not before a huge drama unfolded at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium. Senegal's boss Pape Thiaw called his players off the pitch after a penalty was awarded to Morocco with just seconds left on the clock in normal time with the score tied 0-0 but Sadio Mane went into the dressing room to get the players back on to the pitch in dramatic scenes at Rabat. However, Morocco failed to capitalise the golden opportunity presented to them. The tournament's top-scorer, Brahim Diaz, who won the spot-kick in the first place, botched his panenka kick which landed comfortably in Edouard Mendy's hand, giving Lions of Teranga motivation to eventually settle the affair in 120 minutes. This became Senegal's second title in the last five editions.
It was Sadio Mane and co that started the final the brightest but Yassine Bounou prevented Gueye and Illiam Ndiaye in spectacular fashion. The hosts eventually grew in the game with Nayef Aguerd failing to connect Abde Ezzalzouli's cross while Ayoub El Kaabi failed to convert from close range in the 58th minute. A head injury to Neil El Aynaoui caused an eight minute delay which was added to stoppage time where Senegal found the back of the net from a corner, only for the referee to blow the whistle for a soft foul on Achraf Hakimi by Idrissa's Gueye. That infuriated the Senegalese bench and it got worse when Morocco won a penalty at the other end, given by VAR, minutes later. After a walkout drama and Diaz's missed penalty, Senegal got what they were looking for in the 94th minute with a cracking goal from Pape Gueye after El Aynaoui lost the ball in midfield. The Atlas Lions still had the chance to force penalties but Youssef En-Nesyri headed wide before Aguerd hit the crossbar. Bounou also made a double save forcing substitute Cherif Ndiaye to miss with the goal gaping but it didn't matter at the end as Senegal claimed their prize to shatter the host's dream.
First goal on big stage
Gueye's spectacular winner is the first time Senegal scored in an AFCON final after not finding the net in the previous two appearances at the showpiece. They lost their maiden final on penalties to Cameroon, 1-0 to Algeria in 2019 and while they won the title in 2021 against Egypt, it required a penalty shootout to decide the outcome after it also ended goalless in 120 minutes.
Extra-time heroics
This is the first time any team has won an AFCON final in extra-time since Ghana defeated Tunisia all the way back in 1965. Overall, it is the third time in the competition's history that the outcome of the final was decided in the additional 30 minutes after normal time. However, Senegal are the first side to win the AFCON title in extra-time in the modern era.
Sensational streak
The victory in the 2025-26 AFCON final meant Senegal maintained their incredible streak of not losing a competitive game since they lost to Algeria in this tournament in the final of the 2019 edition. In fact they have lost just four games overall since September 2023.
Dominant
The Lions of Teranga have now gone 19 consecutive games without tasting defeat in the AFCON excluding penalty shootouts. This is the second longest unbeaten streak in the competition's history after Egypt's 25-match run. In that streak, they have managed 13 wins and five draws. They have suffered just nine defeats in their past 105 matches.
Wait continues
Understandably, it was only the negativity that gripped Morocco after the final loss. They couldn't deliver the promise of winning the AFCON on their home soil, failing to meet their expectations. That also means the Atlas Lions 50-year long wait to win the honor continues.
Invincible no more
With the 2025-26 AFCON loss in Rabat, the long unbeaten streak at home of Morocco also came to an end, adding to the disappointment of the evening. The Atlas Lions last lost at home 16 years ago, a 2-0 defeat to Cameroon in a World Cup qualifier in 2009, longest such home unbeaten streak in African football in modern times.
Fluffing the chance
If Brahim Diaz converted his penalty in dying seconds of normal time, he would have been enjoying extending his 21 game unbeaten streak with Morocco. Instead, his remarkable run of the Atlas Lion not losing a single game with the Real Madrid in the squad came to an end after 18 wins and three draws. Truly, a catastrophic missed opportunity.
