Atlas Lions of Morocco will have to wait further to win their first Africa Cup of Nations in 50 years after they fall to Senegal 1-0 in the final on Sunday.

In a match that generated so much controversy, the Senegalese, who dominated the match for part of the game, scored five minutes into the first half of extra time through Gueye to succeed Cote d’Ivoire as African champions.

The last time the host, Morocco, won the biannual championship was in 1976 and coming into this year’s edition as hosts, the Atlas Lions are one of the favourites not because they are the hosts but as a top ranked side with their undefeated records dating back to two years.

Morocco are unbeaten in 26 games stretching all the way back to their last-16 exit at the 2023 finals in Ivory Coast, and have not lost a competitive game on home soil since November 2009, a defeat by Cameroon in Fes. The goal scored by Senegal was the first the Atlas Lions had conceded in open play in the tournament.

The game, however, was marred by controversies as Senegalese earlier goal was ruled out over a possible foul leading to the goal itself while the hosts were awarded a controversial penalty deep into the additional time.

Diaz who was visibly enraged after he felt he spotted the foul for the penalty put up an attitude that led to the referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to check his monitor and awarded the spot kick after a Moroccan player was adjudged to have been dragged down during a corner kick.

As said earlier, the penalty kick was preceded by an embarrassing five minutes of officiating which saw Senegal’s goal ruled out for a soft foul and then Morocco are awarded a penalty at the other end, almost entirely based on Brahim throwing a tantrum and pressure from the home fans and home dugout.

An enraged Senegalese coach, Pape Thiaw, after the penalty award, signalled his players to leave the field, and afterwards they returned to continue the match, then into the 30 minutes extra time.

Senegal are the third consecutive team to be on the receiving end of controversial decisions against Morocco at this tournament and they are kicking off on the touchline and on the pitch.

Once again, the post-match reaction from a Morocco game at this AFCON will be dominated by talk of poor decisions.

Meanwhile, a swift Senegal counter-attack seven minutes into the 30 minutes extra time ended with Gana Gueye laying the ball back to Pape Gueye who whacked the ball into the top corner with his left foot for the Teranga Lions’ goal and which eventually decided the match in favour of the West Africans.