With FIFA president Gianni Infantino wincing and cringing as he watched on from the stands, the Africa Cup of Nations final descended into farce due to an extremely soft stoppage-time VAR decision that sparked ugly and worrying scenes in Rabat.
Senegal are kings of the continent once more as heavily-backed hosts Morocco were beset by the extreme weight of expectation – but that does not even tell 10 per cent of the story. This was an unforgettable spectacle, for good and bad, worthy of an best drama Oscar.
As a tense but entertaining game ticked within seconds of extra-time, Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala pointed to the spot – after consulting the monitor – for a tiny tug on Ibrahim Diaz in the penalty area from a 96th-minute corner.
Senegal fans tried to storm the pitch in fury, while boss Pape Thiaw ordered his players to head down the tunnel and not allow the penalty to be taken. Meanwhile, Morocco’s stars were performing knee-slides to celebrate the spot-kick being awarded. Egg on face and all that.
Just minutes earlier, Senegal and Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr had a goal chalked off for what looked like a legal move by Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye as he challenged for a header and was penalised for seemingly just using his body strength.
After Morocco’s penalty was given, a long 17 minutes went by that threatened to turn extremely nasty both on and off the pitch, hundreds of riot police just about containing the furious Senegalese supporters while the players nearly threw fists on the touchline.
Infantino, bless him, must have wanted the turf to swallow him whole. This is just another regretful episode for VAR, though the nasty scenes that followed were inexcusable regardless.
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane was the one man who appeared to keep a cool head, and gestured for his Senegal team-mates to follow suit. ‘Yes, it was I who convinced the team to return to the field,’ he said.
‘The players and the coach had decided to withdraw, and I didn’t understand that decision, but finally, I told everyone to return immediately and to play no matter the cost.’
Finally, Brahim Diaz stepped up to take the penalty in minute 90+24.
The watching world breathed a collective sigh of relief as Real Madrid’s forward, the best player of this tournament, chipped the spot-kick straight into the hands of former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
No, it was not on purpose – and the tame effort was as embarrassing as the incident that preceded it. Well, nearly. With the weight of a nation on his shoulder, Diaz bottled it and this stunning stadium was shook to silence as the hosts fumbled the chance of a lifetime.
‘Please remain calm,’ came the tannoy announcement – but it was hard to do that when Pape Gueye put Senegal ahead in the fourth minute of an extra-time period that at one point seemed extremely unlikely to happen, not due to the penalty but genuine safety concerns.
It was, to put it bluntly, one of the most dramatic 30 minutes of football that one can remember, the sort of spell that ought to prompt a book or its very own Wikipedia section. The 66,526 fans in this ground, a 2030 World Cup venue, could not believe their eyes.
For the 90 minutes that came before the referee pictured his name in the headlines and ruined what was a compelling spectacle, either side could have triumphed in a thrilling contest between the heavily-fancied hosts and their experienced opposition.
All day, it was like watching a pilgrimage as thousands upon thousands of fans draped in the red Moroccan flag descended on the same place.
As if everyone had decided to evacuate their homes at once, every man and his dog (or cats, which walk freely here) seemed to be headed for the stunning Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, the most modern ground on the continent.
Each person was shaking with nerves but brimming with excitement and expectation.
Morocco are a serious force in world football after getting to the final four of the last World Cup in Qatar and on the cusp of the top 10 in the rankings, so winning their first Africa Cup of Nations in 50 years should have been easy. Right?
From the hustle and bustle of mad Marrakesh to the sun-kissed ports of Agadir and Tangier, from the culture capital of Fes and the business centre of Casablanca all the way to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean here in Rabat, the whole nation was united in a sense of destiny.
But it was not to be. And Senegal deserved their glory, with Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye and Bayern Munich striker Nicolas Jackson both going close. Morocco also had chances through striker Ayoub El Kaabi but both goalkeepers were in fine form.
Morocco are a likeable team with Diaz and Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and they will be a side to watch in America this summer, with Walid Regragui’s men on the cusp of the FIFA top 10 after this tournament.
But a nice team to watch or not, neutrals around the world would surely have leapt off their seats when Senegal scored.
It was a dose of justice served and those ugly scenes soon turned into a mix of deep despair by 99 per cent of this ground, and utter euphoria for the small number who travelled from sub-Saharan Africa for a day they will never forget.
Football, remember, is all about those jubilant scenes that we saw from Senegal’s players and fans at full-time. It is not about the ghouls in the VAR booths and attention-seeking referees. Thankfully, this game was settled by football and not farce.
