Africa Cup of Nations

The penalty awarded against the Senegalese national team in the final moments of their match against Belgium on Wednesday caused widespread controversy after it led to their elimination from the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, in a harsh turn of events that saw the “Lions of Teranga” go from leading 2-0 to losing 3-2.

Honduran referee Said Martinez awarded a penalty kick at the end of the second period of extra time, after a VAR review, following a challenge by Senegal’s Lamine Camara on Belgian captain Youri Tielemans, with the score tied 2-2 and the match heading towards a penalty shootout.

The “Archivo VAR” platform, which specialises in analysing refereeing decisions, said that VAR intervened excessively during the match, confirming that it was Tielemans who extended his foot in front of Camara, causing the contact.

The platform added, via its account on “X,” that the incident did not warrant VAR intervention, explaining that it was the Belgian player who forced the contact entirely, and that the situation did not amount to the clear and obvious error needed to justify the referee reviewing the decision.

The decision triggered a wave of controversy on social media, with one fan writing: “This is 100% robbery. Senegal have been robbed. How is this a penalty? Belgium do not deserve to go through corruption.”

Sports content creator Sneako blamed the result on match ‘”rigging”.

“Rigged! Senegal should storm the pitch right now. Leave the pitch and go home. This is rigged!”

Another sports fan wrote: “I’m sorry, but this was never a penalty. Camara went to clear the ball, but it was Tielemans who got in his way. Senegal was robbed, and it should have been Belgium going out.”

Spanish sports journalist Manolo Lama commented: “They stole the Africa Cup of Nations from them, and now they’re stealing all the solidarity with Senegal at the World Cup too.”

Egyptian journalist Mohamed Saeed linked the incident to what happened in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco, writing: “You can feel that the penalty awarded against Senegal in the final seconds was a harsh lesson and a difficult test. After the scenes from the Africa Cup of Nations final, I think that if it weren’t for the change in the rules around the withdrawal incident, this scene could have repeated itself.”

Another sports fan, Fares Ahmed, wrote that football ”teaches lessons” and the outcome brought back the memory of Senegal at the tournament in Morocco.

“They took advantage of the tournament’s vulnerable position and the host’s need to make it a success, and used that to impose their pressure,” Ahmed wrote. “Today, the scene was almost repeated against Belgium — a penalty in the final minutes, objections, and disbelief over the decision — but this time there was no threat of withdrawal, because you can’t risk penalties like that in a tournament the size of the World Cup.”

Drawing a connection between the two events, one follower wrote on “X”: “When there was a clear penalty in the Morocco final, they rebelled against the decision and tarnished the reputation of African football, just because the tournament was in Morocco. But when an unclear penalty came along that eliminated them from the World Cup, they stayed silent, because this time it was in the West.”

After the dramatic penalty was awarded, Tielemans stepped up to take it and scored successfully, netting Belgium’s third goal and capping off an unexpected comeback that eliminated the Lions of Teranga.

But back on the pitch, Senegal had the run of play for 85 minutes. The African team held a two-goal lead, and had all but secured a spot in the round of 16 at the World Cup.

Within five minutes, it crumbled and the players were feeling it.

“We were at the heart of writing the beautiful pages of the history of our football in this world,” defender Krepin Diatta said. “And we have to accept that we failed at our mission.”

Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra said. “We had a good first half, but it wasn’t enough. A match lasts 90 minutes, and we’re devastated. It’s very tough. I don’t know what to say. When you’re on the pitch, you have to give your all, and that’s not what we did. We’ve only got ourselves to blame.”

Vinicius Junior scored a brilliant goal to dig Brazil out of trouble after Ismael Saibari had put Morocco ahead.

A moment of magic from Vinicius Junior salvaged Brazil a point against Morocco in New Jersey, as the five-time World Champions made a shaky start to the tournament.

Ismael Saibari ran through to give Morocco a 21st-minute lead with a clever scoop in the Group C opener on Saturday, but a solo effort from Vinicius ensured the points were shared in this much-anticipated group match.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the 1-1 draw at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Brazil make a slow start

Brazil are chasing a record sixth World Cup title, 24 years after last lifting the trophy, but this performance suggests there is a lot of work to be done by Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

They showed signs of nerves during the early stages of the game and struggled to cope with a lively Morocco attack.

A fifth-placed finish in South American qualifying underlined the scale of the challenge facing Ancelotti, and this performance has done little to ease concerns about the quality of the Brazil squad.

A number of their players struggled to cope with the intensity of the Moroccan team, with midfielder Casemiro subbed off at half-time after a difficult opening 45 minutes in the heat.

The World Cup final is a long way off in New Jersey, but Brazil will have to vastly improve if they are to have any hope of making it.

Morocco look like the real deal

The Atlas Lions stunned the world of football in 2022 as they made it all the way to the semifinals in Qatar.

Four years later, Morocco have the chance to show that it was not a one-off run to the last four and they are the real deal.

Judging by their performance in New Jersey on Saturday, the North African nation are truly a force to be reckoned with.

They arrived in North America as African Cup of Nations champions, after being retrospectively awarded the title following a controversial final defeat to Senegal, and they continued their strong form with a commanding performance against Brazil, playing with a high level of confidence and plenty of attacking threat.

Morocco appear set for another strong tournament showing.

Vinicius shows his top quality

If Brazil are to make it to the latter stages of this tournament, they will rely heavily on Vinicius to provide goals and assists in North America.

The Real Madrid man has consistently scored for his club this season, including 16 goals in La Liga and five in the Champions League, and it now appears that he is bringing this form to the world stage.

With Brazil struggling in the first half, Vinicius received the ball from Bruno Guimaraes on the left side of the area before cutting back onto his right foot and hammering into the far corner past Yassine Bounou.

It was the kind of magic moment that he regularly produces for Real Madrid, and the Selecao will be looking for more individual brilliance in their coming games.

Neymar injury hangs over Brazil

The Neymar soap opera is set to dominate another tournament for Brazil, with the 34-year-old on the sidelines for yet another major tournament match.

Brazil’s all-time record goalscorer is still recovering from a calf injury, having not played for his country since 2023.

He was dramatically recalled to the national squad, despite not featuring in Ancelotti’s plans ⁠during the Italian’s year in charge, but he remains under scrutiny over his fitness and form following years of injury trouble and an ⁠underwhelming spell back at Santos.

It is unclear exactly when Neymar will be fit enough to return to first-team action, but judging by the media’s focus on him during Saturday’s match, this saga is set to dominate discussion around Brazil.

Draw leaves Group C wide open

Brazil and Morocco are the clear heavyweights in their group, but Saturday’s draw in New Jersey has left Group C somewhat in the balance.

Scotland currently sit top of the table after a 1-0 victory over Haiti in Boston, and they will now be eyeing the chance to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Morocco and Brazil remain heavy favourites to finish in the top two automatic qualification spots, but Scotland know that any points in their final two group games will almost certainly book their spot in the round of 32.

Fans arrested in Morocco in the aftermath of the AFCON 2025 final returned on a humanitarian pardon by Moroccan king.

A group of Senegalese football supporters jailed following their country’s chaotic, violence-plagued Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Morocco in January have returned home after being pardoned by the Moroccan king.

King Mohammed VI granted the fans a pardon “on humanitarian grounds” on the occasion of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Morocco’s royal court said on Saturday.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye welcomed the jubilant supporters on their arrival at the airport outside Dakar on Sunday.

“We’re very happy to have them back on Senegalese soil,” Faye, who donned a tracksuit for the occasion, told journalists.

He thanked Moroccan authorities for the pardon but, in what Morocco will likely perceive as a new dig, hailed the national team as “two-time African champions”, even though the January final is the subject of an ongoing dispute before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

Senegal won the tumultuous continental final against Morocco in Rabat on January 18, but the match was later awarded on appeal to the hosts.

With the match tied at 0-0, after a penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time of the second half – just after a Senegal goal was disallowed – Senegalese fans tried to storm the pitch and hurled projectiles.

The Senegalese team left the pitch in protest against the penalty decision, halting play for nearly 20 minutes.

When they returned, they gleefully watched Morocco miss their penalty and went on to score a 94th-minute winner.

In February, Moroccan courts sentenced 18 Senegalese supporters held in Morocco since the final to prison terms ranging from three months to a year for hooliganism.

Three were released from jail in mid-April after completing their three-month sentences.

Following that release, another 15 Senegalese fans remained imprisoned after receiving sentences ranging from six months to one year.

The royal pardon applied to those 15.

Mending ties

The episode has strained relations between Morocco and Senegal, countries with a history of friendly ties.

But Morocco’s royal court said that in view “of the age-old fraternal ties” between the two countries “and on the occasion of the advent of Eid al-Adha”, which will be celebrated in the country on Wednesday, the king had “granted, on humanitarian grounds, his royal pardon to the Senegalese supporters”.

The Senegalese president had earlier welcomed the decision in a post on X.

“Our compatriots … are free. They will soon be reunited with their loved ones,” Faye wrote.

He thanked King Mohammed VI for the decision “imbued with clemency and humanity”.

According to the Moroccan public prosecutor’s office, the charges against the 18 football supporters were based mainly on footage from cameras at Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Stadium, and on medical certificates for injured law enforcement officers and stewards.

Material damage from the violence was estimated at more than 370,000 euros (about $430,000).

At the end of January, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) imposed disciplinary sanctions on both national federations for unsporting conduct and violations of the principles of fair play.

After the CAF decided on March 17 to award the title to Morocco by administrative ruling, Senegal appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The two countries have a history of cooperation in sectors including tourism and energy, and share strong religious ties.

Senegalese make up the largest foreign community living in Morocco.

Morocco jailed 17 Senegal fans following fan disturbances at the Africa Cup of Nations final in January.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has pardoned the Senegalese football supporters jailed after violence at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat for “humanitarian reasons”, a royal court statement has confirmed.

It said that in view “of the age-old fraternal ties” between the two countries “and on the occasion of the advent of Eid al-Adha”, the king has “granted, on humanitarian grounds, his royal pardon to the Senegalese supporters”.

The Muslim holiday will be celebrated on Wednesday in Morocco.

The 18 fans were jailed following a pitch invasion that followed the awarding of a penalty to Morocco in injury time of the final on January 18.

The game was stopped for 14 minutes while the Senegal players and staff left the field in protest at the decision. When play resumed, Morocco missed the penalty before Senegal sealed a 1-0 win in injury time.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), the continent’s governing body for football, overturned the decision on March 17, awarding the game as a 3-0 win to Morocco, which saw the North Africans crowned champions.

CAF upheld the appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, saying Senegal had infringed tournament regulations by walking off.

Senegal have lodged their own appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a ruling from the Switzerland-based body could take up to a year.