Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has pinpointed the prolonged delay before his star forward’s crucial penalty as a decisive factor in the team’s heartbreaking 1-0 extra-time defeat to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.
The match’s pivotal moment came in the stoppage time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Awarded a penalty, Morocco had a golden opportunity to take the lead from the spot. However, the decision sparked a major protest from the Senegalese players, with several leaving the pitch in anger. Captain Sadio Mane eventually convinced his teammates to return, but the disruption created a delay of several minutes.
When the spot-kick was finally taken, Brahim Diaz’s attempted “Panenka” chip was read and comfortably saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. In the aftermath, Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye scored the game’s only goal in extra time to secure the title.
Speaking after the match, Coach Regragui acknowledged that the lengthy stoppage likely affected his player. “He had a lot of time before taking the penalty, which must have disturbed him,” Regragui stated to the BBC. “We can’t change what happened. That is how he chose to take the penalty. We need to look forward now.”
Despite the high-profile miss, Brahim Diaz was a standout performer throughout the tournament. He finished as the competition’s top scorer with five goals, earning the Golden Boot award.
The result, however, was a bitter end for the host nation, who were aiming for their first AFCON crown since 1976, while Senegal celebrated their second continental title.
