Last night, Senegal defeated host nation Morocco 1-0 in the Africa Cup final to claim the championship. However, the match drew attention not only for its result but also for a major controversy sparked by a walkout incident during the game.
During the match, Senegal’s head coach Thiaw, furious over the referee’s decision to award Morocco a penalty kick in stoppage time of the second half, became highly emotional and ordered his players to leave the pitch in protest. After the match, Thiaw addressed the incident for the first time in an interview with BeIN Sports, offering a public apology and reflection.
Thiaw admitted frankly, “I completely disapprove of my decision to have the players leave the field. I lost control of my emotions at that moment, and this act disgraced the spirit of sportsmanship. I sincerely apologize to the sport of football.” He explained that his actions stemmed from being overwhelmed by emotion: “Sometimes people get carried away by their feelings in the moment. Earlier, one of our goals was disallowed, and then serious doubts arose about whether that penalty really should have been given.”
He added further, “After calming down and thinking it through, I instructed the players to return to the pitch. Referees make mistakes too—that’s part of the game, and we must accept it.”
Notably, tensions ran extremely high in the post-match press conference room at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where Moroccan journalists collectively booed, leading to arguments between media from both sides, and the official press conference was ultimately canceled. Nevertheless, Thiaw chose to respond via a televised interview and publicly apologized for the walkout incident.
After play resumed, Morocco’s player Diaz took a “Panenka” penalty kick, which was saved by Senegal’s goalkeeper Mendy. Senegal then scored the winning goal in extra time through Gueye, ultimately lifting the Africa Cup trophy.
Despite winning the title, Thiaw sincerely stated, “We never should have done that. Regardless of the outcome, we must always respect the match and respect football.”