PSL Coach Manqoba Mngqithi: 'Favouritism for Morocco' is what may have enraged Senegal in AFCON Final

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Morocco between Senegal and Morocco promised a thrilling experience to the world and the fans at large.

However, it almost ended in an unprecedented way as the West African nation threatened to boycott the game following controversial calls by the referee.

First, Senegal thought they had scored in the stoppages only for the referee to call for a foul on Achraf Hakimi, with the majority of analysts feeling it was a soft one.

Jean-Jacques Ndala, who was officiating the game, then awarded the hosts a penalty after a VAR review a couple of minutes later, much to the rage of the Lions of Teranga, who opted to walk off the pitch.

Nevertheless, they were convinced to come back and complete the game; Brahim Diaz tried a Panenka on Edouard Mendy, but the former Chelsea man stood his ground to eventually make the save.

The game was won in extra time as Pape Gueye's rocket gave Bono no chance at all, as Senegal held on to win the competition.

In his analysis on SABC Sport, Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi explained why Senegal could have killed the game earlier on.

“I think Senegal started the game very strongly, they put a lot of pressure on Morocco,” the former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician stated.

“As a result, we did not see [Brahim] Diaz, we did not see [Achraf] Hakimi for the whole of the first half, but we did see Mane. We did see Gana Gueye.

“We did see most of the offensive players, [Nicolas] Jackson was also there for Senegal. But the second half tilted a little bit, and we started to see a lot of Hakimi in the defensive third of Senegal, and we started to see Diaz with some moments," he added.

“They missed some sitters, which is very uncharacteristic of the North Africans.

"If you look at the chances that they got, the one that I said, if that cross, if [Abdessamad] Ezzalzouli had put it on [Ayoub] El Kaabi in the head, it could have been a goal.

“The one that was given to El Kaabi by Diaz, the one-on-one with the keeper, which should have been a goal, but they did not take those moments, and up until the end of the game," Mngqithi further stated.

Mngqithi insists the officials were right to award Morocco a penalty, but like many others, questioned why the Senegal goal didn't stand.

 "I must be honest with you, I do believe it was a penalty for Morocco. But the problem here is the ripple effect of the decisions that have been taken favouring Morocco throughout the tournament," he analysed.

“And that is what maybe enraged Senegal, not because the penalty was not a penalty. 

"The penalty was a penalty and the goal that Senegal scored, there are question marks with regard to the foul, because both players were fouling each other," Mngqithi concluded.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 AFCON, South Africa's Bafana Bafana have now started preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The next assignment will be the 2027 AFCON that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The qualifiers are expected to start this year on a yet-to-be-confirmed date.