Morocco lost the CAN 2025 final to Senegal (0-1 after extra time) on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, after a match that became unbearable in the final minutes of regulation time. The Atlas Lions had a title-winning opportunity at their feet, with a penalty awarded in stoppage time, but Brahim Díaz missed his attempt, only to see Senegal score right at the start of extra time.
A Locked Final… Until Chaos
For nearly 90 minutes, the match resembled many finals: cautious, tense, contested over details. Morocco sought to establish its game, while Senegal aimed to remain compact and exploit transitions. But as time passed, spaces closed, duels took precedence, and the prospect of extra time loomed.
Then everything shifted in an almost unreal scenario. In stoppage time, Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to Morocco after a VAR intervention, deeming that Brahim Díaz had been fouled in the box by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Senegalese Players Leave the Field, Final Paused for 14 Minutes
The decision triggered a rare scene at this level: on the orders of their coach Pape Bouna Thiaw, the Senegalese players left the pitch to protest. Captain Sadio Mané played a key role in convincing his teammates to return and finish the match. The result: a 14-minute interruption before the penalty could finally be taken.
This moment weighed heavily. A final is also played in emotional management: when the match is interrupted for so long, the pressure changes, the atmosphere thickens, and every gesture becomes a verdict.
The Turning Point: Brahim Díaz’s Missed Penalty
Upon resuming play, Brahim Díaz faced Édouard Mendy. Morocco had a golden opportunity: to score in stoppage time, avoid extra time, and lift the trophy. But the Moroccan player’s attempt was thwarted: Mendy easily caught the ball from a poorly executed panenka.
In a final, it is often about “the moment”: the one that transforms everything. For Morocco, that moment was missed. And the already tense match entered extra time in an electric atmosphere.
The Immediate Punishment: Pape Gueye’s Thunderbolt in the 94th Minute
Senegal did not wait to exploit the psychological shift. In the 94th minute, Pape Gueye scored the only goal of the final: an individual effort concluded with a powerful strike that silenced Rabat.
Morocco Pushes, but the Match Closes
Trailing, the Atlas Lions tried to resurface: crosses, set pieces, accelerations, attempts to force a decision. Morocco created opportunities, even hitting the crossbar on one chance, but the equalizer never came.
The match then boiled down to what finals produce most cruelly: one team pushing, another resisting, a stadium believing until the end… and a score that remains unchanged.
The context amplifies the pain. Morocco played at home, in a final that could end a long wait. Over 120 minutes, the team did not crumble: they held on, they resisted, they had the match ball. But they paid the price for the most brutal bill:
Senegal, on the other hand, leaves with the trophy after a wild final, consolidating its place at the top of African football.
