The final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) between Morocco and Senegal was an embarrassing night for football on the continent. The reputational damage to African football will linger for a long time.A match that promised so much between two high-quality teams produced astonishing scenes of acrimony and chaos in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. When the dust has settled, the inquest will begin.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listTrouble started brewing as a tight final, locked at 0-0, entered added time. Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr appeared to have scored, only for the goal to be disallowed by referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, who decided Abdoulaye Seck had fouled Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi. It was a decision that clearly incensed Senegal coach Pape Thiaw.Then came the chaos. In the final minute of added time, Morocco’s Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz hit the ground and vehemently appealed for a penalty. After a video assistant referee (VAR) review, where Ndala was jostled by scuffling coaches and players, a highly controversial penalty was awarded, and a chance for Morocco to win it at the death.It was then that the sparks of conflict turned into a fire. Thiaw felt Senegal had been cheated and had a case, but when he ushered his team off the field and down the tunnel in protest, he pivoted the final into dangerous territory. It took over 17 minutes for play to r …
