Pape Gueye blasted Senegal to Africa Cup of Nations glory after Morocco’s Brahim Díaz missed a stoppage-time penalty as the tournament ended in chaos.
Villarreal midfielder Gueye hammered home an eventful game’s only goal in extra time to secure the continental crown for the second time, but only after Real Madrid star Díaz had wasted a glorious, if controversial, opportunity to win it for the hosts when he directed his Panenka attempt straight at goalkeeper Édouard Mendy.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, who had minutes earlier seen his team denied a goal for a foul, took his players off the pitch after referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded the hosts a spot-kick after a VAR review eight minutes into stoppage time amid acrimonious scenes, but saw them live to fight another day.
Thiaw’s men, fuelled by a sense of injustice, regrouped and forced their way in front when Gueye surged forward and blasted a left-foot piledriver into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Afcon results
Sunday, December 21
Morocco 2 Comoros 0
Monday, December 22
Mali 1 Zambia 1
Egypt 2 Zimbabwe 1
South Africa 2 Angola 1
Tuesday, December 23
Nigeria 2 Tanzania 1
Tunisia 3 Uganda 1
Senegal 3 Botswana 0
Democratic Republic of Congo 1 Benin 0
Wednesday, December 24
Algeria 3 Sudan 0
Burkina Faso 2 Equatorial Guinea 1
Ivory Coast 1 Mozambique 0
Cameroon 1 Gabon 0
Friday, December 26
Egypt 1 South Africa 0
Angola 1 Zimbabwe 1
Zambia 0 Comoros 0
Morocco 1 Mali 1
Saturday, December 27
Benin 1 Botswana 0
Senegal 1 DR Congo 1
Uganda 1 Tanzania 1
Nigeria 3 Tunisia 2
Sunday, December 28
Gabon 2 Mozambique 3
Equatorial Guinea 0 Sudan 1
Algeria 1 Burkina Faso 0
Ivory Coast 1 Cameroon 1
Monday, December 29
Angola 0 Egypt 0
Zimbabwe 2 South Africa 3
Comoros 0 Mali 0
Zambia 0 Morocco 3
Tuesday, December 30
Tanzania 1 Tunisia 1
Uganda 1 Nigeria 3
Benin 0 Senegal 3
Botswana 0 DR Congo 3
Wednesday, December 31
Equatorial Guinea 1 Algeria 3
Sudan 0 Burkina Faso 2
Gabon 2 Ivory Coast 3
Mozambique 1 Cameroon 2
Saturday, January 3
Round of 16: Senegal 3 Sudan 1
Round of 16: Mali 1 Tunisia 1
Sunday, January 4
Round of 16: Morocco 1 Tanzania 0
Round of 16: South Africa 1 Cameroon 2
Monday, January 5
Round of 16: Egypt 3 Benin 1
Round of 16: Nigeria 4 Mozambique 0
Tuesday, January 6
Round of 16: Algeria 1 DR Congo 0
Round of 16: Ivory Coast 3 Burkina Faso 0
Friday, January 9
Quarter-final: Mali 0 Senegal 1
Quarter-final: Cameroon 0 Morocco 2
Saturday, January 10
Quarter-final: Algeria 0 Nigeria 2
Quarter-final: Egypt 3 Ivory Coast 2
Wednesday, January 14
Semi-final: Senegal 1 Egypt 0
Semi-final: Nigeria 0 Morocco 0 (Morocco win 4-2 on penalties)
Saturday, January 17
Third-place final: Egypt 0 Nigeria 0 (Nigeria win 4-2 on penalties)
Sunday, January 18
Final: Senegal 1 Morocco 0 (AET)