Gana Gueye reveals Senegal nearly boycotted final after late penalty drama

Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye has revealed that the Teranga Lions were on the verge of boycotting their AFCON final after a controversial last-minute penalty was awarded against them, a decision that sparked anger and disbelief across the Senegalese camp.

The foul, given for an incident in the Senegalese box, was immediately contested by the players, who felt the call was unjust and could cost them the biggest prize in African football.

As tensions flared, Senegal’s players were called off the pitch and those who surrounded the officials was in discussions of walking off the pitch. “We wanted to stop the game because what happened was not possible for us,” Gana Gueye admitted after the match. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric and hostile, with emotions running high as the referee stood by his decision and ordered the penalty to be taken.

In a dramatic twist, after minutes delayed, the spot kick was taken and wasted, fired straight into the hands of goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, whose calm save proved to be a turning point in the final. The miss not only kept Senegal alive in the contest but also seemed to restore belief in a team that felt hard done by just moments earlier.

Reflecting on the incident, Gana Gueye framed the outcome in spiritual terms. “Allah gave us this victory because Allah is not sleeping and Allah sees everything,” he said. For Senegal, the episode will be remembered as a moment of extreme tension and controversy — one that could have changed history — but instead became another chapter in a triumphant campaign that ended with the Teranga Lions lifting the AFCON trophy.