Sadio Mané persuades Senegal to resume AFCON final after late penalty

Sadio Mané persuaded Senegal’s players to return to the pitch and complete the Africa Cup of Nations final after the team stormed off in protest at a penalty awarded deep into stoppage time, in what he confirmed would be his last AFCON game. The walkout followed a series of contentious refereeing decisions that had already angered Senegal: a goal was ruled out after the referee’s whistle blew before Ismaïla Sarr turned the ball in, VAR later penalised El Hadji Malick Diouf for slight contact on Brahim Díaz, and a penalty was awarded eight minutes into added time.

Senegal had also lodged an official protest alleging attempts by the local organising committee to undermine them, citing problems at Rabat-Agdal train station, initial accommodation, training facilities and a shortage of tickets for fans. Mané stayed by the touchline, sought advice from Claude Le Roy and El Hadji Diouf, ran down the tunnel and convinced his teammates to return after they had been encouraged to walk off by their coach Pape Thiaw.

Díaz’s penalty was saved, but unrest continued among some fans — chairs were thrown, advertising hoardings fell and there appeared to be an attempt to invade the pitch before riot police intervened — and Mané then appealed to those fans for calm.

Key Topics

Sports, Sadio Mané, Senegal, Var, Pape Thiaw, Rabat-agdal