Morocco awarded Africa Cup of Nations title after Senegal's forfeit

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Morocco awarded Africa Cup of Nations title after Senegal's forfeit

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REUTERS

ALJAZEERA

AFRICANEWS

Morocco awarded Africa Cup of Nations title after Senegal's forfeit

Credited from: ALJAZEERA

Morocco awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title after Senegal's forfeit.
The final on January 18 was marred by protests and chaotic scenes.
Surrendered match result now recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

Morocco has been declared the Africa Cup of Nations champions after the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) appeals board ruled in their favor, overturning Senegal's initial victory in a chaotic January final. The board decided that Senegal forfeited the match, changing the score from a 1-0 win to a 3-0 default in Morocco's favor, as reported by Reuters and Africanews.

The controversy arose when Senegal's players, led by coach Pape Thiaw, staged a walkoff due to a late penalty awarded against them, which escalated tensions in the stadium. Following a delay of about 15 minutes, play resumed, but Senegal ultimately scored in extra time, which was later deemed invalid by the appeals board, according to Al Jazeera and Africanews.

Senegal's initial victory was overshadowed by disputes on the field and a heated atmosphere, which included physical confrontations among fans and personnel. The outcome marked a significant ruling by CAF, which could potentially be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as highlighted by Reuters and Al Jazeera.