Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has issued an apology following a controversial moment in his team’s 1-0 victory over hosts Morocco on Sunday.
Thiaw briefly instructed his players to leave the pitch in protest after a penalty was awarded to Morocco’s Brahim Diaz, who was fouled by Malick Diouf in the box.
Speaking to Sky Sports on Monday, Thiaw said:
“I don’t want to dwell on the incidents. I apologise to football. After reflecting, I made the players return to the pitch. You can react in the heat of the moment. We accept the referee’s decisions. We shouldn’t have acted that way, but it happened, and we present our apologies to the game.”
The Senegal coach highlighted the emotional intensity of the moment while emphasizing professionalism and accountability, urging both players and fans to focus on moving forward. Reacting to the incident, Morocco head coach Walid Regragui called his Senegal counterpart, Pape Thiaw, “shameful” following his team’s dramatic Africa Cup of Nations victory.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) condemned the conduct of certain players and officials during the AFCON 2025 final between hosts Morocco and Senegal in Rabat on Sunday night.