Senegal’s hero of the Africa Cup of Nations, Pape Gueye, has admitted that his team’s brief walk-off during the final against hosts Morocco was “a mistake.”
In an interview with French television (via Yahoo! Sport) on Sunday, the midfielder, who scored the decisive goal in a tense and controversial Rabat final, reflected on the incident.
Gueye also expressed his gratitude to Senegal star Sadio Mane, who played a key role in convincing the team to return from the dressing room and complete the match.
The controversy erupted after Morocco was awarded a late penalty in normal time, just moments after Senegal had a goal disallowed for a push. Frustrated, the Senegalese players stormed off the pitch, sparking a delay of over 15 minutes amid clashes between fans and security.
Once Senegal returned to play, Brahim Diaz missed the penalty with a failed Panenka attempt, before Gueye ultimately netted the winner in extra time.
“We are only human, we realised our mistake and came back out,” Gueye said. “Anyone can make a mistake,” he added.
He also praised former Liverpool star Sadio Mane, noting his crucial leadership during the incident. “He found the right thing to say at the right moment and it shows just how important he is to us,” Gueye said. “We owe him a big thank you.”
The victory secured Senegal’s second AFCON title, leaving Morocco still chasing their second crown, half a century after their first.
