CAF Condemns Senegal Walk-Off, Stadium Chaos at AFCON

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has condemned the conduct of Senegal’s players and fans during their AFCON clash against Morocco on Sunday.

The match, tied 0-0 deep into injury time, was disrupted when most of the Senegalese squad walked off the pitch after Morocco was awarded a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz.

A CAF spokesperson described the scenes as “ugly” and warned they must not be repeated.

“Teams and players are expected to act responsibly, respecting the decisions of match officials and the Laws of the Game,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of African football.

Senegal’s former Liverpool star Sadio Mane remained on the field, urging his teammates to return for the penalty. The tension followed a disallowed Senegal goal minutes earlier, which players argued was ruled out for a soft foul.

The situation escalated as some Senegalese fans attempted to enter the pitch, clashing with security personnel and delaying the match for nearly 20 minutes.

Morocco eventually secured a 1-0 victory in extra time when Pape Gueye scored in the fourth minute. Earlier, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy had saved Diaz’s weak ‘panenka’ penalty, keeping the scoreline level until Gueye’s decisive strike.

CAF confirmed that disciplinary measures would follow for both players and fans involved.

“We expect all relevant disciplinary bodies to take appropriate action against misconduct,” the spokesperson added, stressing that teams and players must set a positive example for spectators and millions watching worldwide.