FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned what he described as “unacceptable scenes” during Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco, after several Senegalese players and officials walked off the pitch in protest.
The incident occurred deep into injury time of normal play with the match level at nil-nil, when Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on forward Brahim Diaz. Most Senegal players left the field, although captain Sadio Mane stayed on and urged his team-mates to return.
The match was delayed for almost 20 minutes amid protests and crowd disturbances, as some Senegal supporters attempted to enter the pitch and clashed with security personnel. When play resumed, Diaz’s penalty was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, before Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory.
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In a statement, Infantino said teams must respect match officials and act responsibly, adding that violence and abandoning the field have no place in football. He said he expects the Confederation of African Football’s disciplinary bodies to take appropriate action following the events in Rabat.
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