Sadio Mane at complete odds with Senegal coach over AFCON chaos
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Sadio Mané at Complete Odds with Senegal Coach Over AFCON Chaos
In a dramatic AFCON final on January 18, 2026, in Rabat, Senegal clinched a 1-0 victory over hosts Morocco, thanks to Pape Gueye's extra-time winner, but the match was overshadowed by refereeing controversies and near-chaos.[1][2]
The game exploded in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time when referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, after VAR review, awarded Morocco a penalty for El Hadji Malick Diouf's handball on Brahim Díaz. Senegal's coach Pape Thiaw, furious over perceived bias—especially after an earlier Senegal goal by Ismaïla Sarr was disallowed for a foul on Achraf Hakimi—instructed his players to leave the pitch in protest.[1][2]
As Senegal's Gaindé supporters invaded the field amid the melee, captain Sadio Mané stood alone on the pitch, the sole voice of reason. The former Liverpool star convinced his teammates to return after a 15-minute delay, preventing a potential forfeit. Mané's leadership shone, later guiding Senegal to triumph as Gueye scored following Díaz's saved penalty.[2][3]
Post-match, tensions boiled over between Mané and Thiaw. Sources reveal Mané was "at complete odds" with the coach, reportedly clashing in the dressing room over the walk-off decision. Mané, drawing on his 2022 AFCON-winning experience, argued it risked Senegal's legacy and safety, calling it reckless amid fan violence. Thiaw defended it as a stand against "host favoritism," but Mané's intervention averted disaster, earning praise as the leader who "prevented chaos and made history again."[3]
Early battles like Mané vs. Hakimi highlighted referee inconsistencies, with Senegal claiming overlooked fouls. The final, in Morocco's cauldron of 68,000 fans, exposed AFCON's VAR tensions, but Mané's composure secured Senegal's second title.[1][4]
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