Senegal seal AFCON title after dramatic final

The Storm Before the Crown

Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, 23 February 2025, 23:47 local time.
Emerald-and-snow streamers still swirl beneath the floodlights while Senegal’s squad, flags draped like capes, link arms and snake toward the north stand where 8,000 travelling drummers have not paused since Pape Gueye’s 67th-minute thunderbolt shook the net. The home squad disappeared long ago; stunned Moroccan supporters keep a respectful distance, phones lifted like vigil candles. For the second time in three Africa Cup of Nations editions, Senegal rule the continent - this time ripping the diadem from the very palace that was supposed to crown the Atlas Lions.

The bare 1–0 score hides a saga that careened from tactical chess into bare-knuckle brawl, from technical zone to VAR bunker, and finally to the 22-metre pocket where Gueye carved immortality with his left instep. Yet the prologue began three hours earlier, when a frigid Atlantic squall slammed Rabat and hurled rain against the stadium’s Perspex rim. Ground crews frantically swept puddles off the synthetic apron; Senegalese percussionists turned the downpour into sound-check, slapping plastic barrels that chimed like steel pans. In the tunnel Sadio Mané bounced on his toes, eyelids shut, whispering Quranic verses - the identical routine he kept since childhood kick-abouts in Bambali. Across the corridor Achraf Hakimi straightened his captain’s armband for the third time, the PSG wing-back hauling not merely a nation’s longing but the dreams of a generation that has never seen the Atlas Lions lift an AFCON trophy.

Opening Gambits and Missed Chances

Walid Regragui had tipped his hand in the semi-final versus Algeria: sky-high back line, inverted full-backs, Brahim Díaz sliding inside as a fake 10 to clog interior lanes. Senegal’s Pape Bouna Thiaw - mastermind of the 2022 title but now deprived of the retired Kalidou Koulibaly and the injured Cheikhou Kouyaté - countered with a tweak of his own. He presented a 4-2-3-1 that mutated into 3-1-4-2 in possession: left-back Libasse Gueye tucked in to craft a back three, freeing Monaco’s Vanderson to detonate down the right. The mission: chain Hakimi to his own third and kill the overload that had shredded Algeria.

For forty-three minutes the blueprint hummed. Senegal’s squeeze forced Morocco to funnel passes through Nayef Aguerd and teenage rookie Chadi Riad, yet every vertical ball drained into the corridor policed by 35-year-old Idrissa Gana Gueye, who logged more turf in the first half than anyone else. When he nicked a Díaz reverse pass on 18 minutes, the roar from the Senegalese tribune rattled hoardings. Territory, though, failed to morph into xG. Mané kept dropping deep, leaving Torino’s 20-year-old Lamine Camara to duel solo against Aguerd and Riad. Camara’s brightest spark arrived on 37 minutes: he pirouetted between the centre-backs and forced Yassine Bounou into a fingertip deflection that kissed the net’s roof.

Morocco’s clearest looks came on the transition. Twice Hakimi, sprung by Díaz decoys, torched down the right and fizzed low crosses toward Youssef En-Nesyri. On 41 minutes the Sevilla striker’s glanced header demanded a one-handed Mendy miracle that nudged the ball onto the upright. The stands thundered “Masr al-Maghrib!” so loudly that spectators on the top tier swore the concrete shook.

Chaos, VAR and the Penalty That Nearly Broke the Final

Full-time arrived at 0–0 yet the hush was deceptive. On 84 minutes Camara lashed a 30-metre tracer that Bounou shoved into Mané’s path; the captain’s side-foot seemed tournament-ending until the linesman’s flag soared for offside - his kneecap millimetres ahead of the last defender. Ninety seconds later En-Nesyri again fled Abdou Diallo and toe-poked inches wide. The ground exhaled as a single organism.

Then came the 92nd-minute corner. Eight Senegalese bodies packed the six when Hakimi arced an outswinger to the spot. Díaz felt a shirt-tug from Mamadou Loum and hit the grass; Uruguayan Leodán Gonzalez jogged to the monitor. Whistle: penalty.

What ensued borders on AFCON myth. Thiaw tore 20 metres onto the turf waving “On part!” (“We walk!”). Players trailed him toward the tunnel. Bottles rained; plastic chairs flew. Regulations threaten forfeit if play fails to restart within three minutes. Only Mané stayed, arms cruciform, pleading, “We are Africans. The world is watching.” Whether shame or rule-book fear, Senegal U-turned. Mendy, gloves dripping, took his line while Diaz placed the ball.

The Panenka was pre-meditated - soft chip down the middle. Yet Mendy and analyst Tony Sylva had clocked the 12° lean Diaz shows on central attempts. The keeper stayed statuesque, palms rising to cradle the lob like a sleeping infant. The arena groaned; Moroccan jaws hit the turf. Mendy hurled the ball to Gueye and screamed until his temples bulged.

Extra-Time Thunder and the Morning After

AFCON scrapped the golden goal, yet minds still reward the quick kill. Thiaw withdrew the cramping Camara and inserted Metz flyer Habib Diallo, shoving Mané up top. Two minutes later the champs struck. Gana Gueye mugged Amine Harit, one-twoed with Mané, then slipped an inside-left pass. Pape Gueye felt Hakimi’s forearm, veered away, eyed Bounou two metres off his line, and detonated a 98 km/h rocket that kissed the 38° angle beneath the bar. Geometry turned art.

Morocco’s reply was wild: 3-3-4, three fresh attackers including 17-year-old prodigy Ilyas Ziani. Aguerd’s 110th-minute header from a Hakimi free-kick kissed the bar’s outer paint; En-Nesyri had a rocket smothered by Diallo’s lunge. Senegal clung to twin banks of four, Mané moonlighting at left-back. When Gonzalez’s whistle finally blew, it felt both mercy and coronation.

Dawn finds workers unscrewing the media tribune while the Hassan Tower’s silhouette sharpens in rose light. An abandoned djembe rests pitch-side, its goatskin split from the night’s frenzy. A Moroccan cleaner taps a timid rhythm, then lays the drum atop neatly folded flags. Down in the medina, Rue des Consuls stirs - vendors stacking oranges, steam rising from mint teapots, the adhan floating over chalk-white walls. The spectacle is finished; Africa already eyes the next kick-off.

What was the outcome of the 2025 AFCON Final between Senegal and Morocco?

Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in extra time to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, securing their second title. Pape Gueye scored the winning goal, and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was instrumental, saving a crucial penalty during regular time.

Where was the 2025 AFCON Final held?

The final match was held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, the host nation for the tournament.

Who scored the winning goal for Senegal in the final?

Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal for Senegal in extra time, specifically in the 67th minute according to the detailed account, though the general summary places it in extra time. This "thunderbolt" secured Senegal's victory.

What significant save did Edouard Mendy make during the match?

Edouard Mendy saved a crucial penalty kick during regular time, specifically in the 92nd minute after a VAR review, preventing Morocco from taking the lead. He anticipated Brahim Díaz's Panenka attempt and cradled the ball.

How many AFCON titles has Senegal won with this victory?

With their 2025 victory, Senegal secured their second Africa Cup of Nations title. This win came three editions after their first triumph in 2022.

What was the weather like during the AFCON Final in Rabat?

The match was played amidst a "frigid Atlantic squall" that slammed Rabat, bringing rain against the stadium's Perspex rim during the prologue to the game.