CAN 2025: Senegal roars in the rain and reigns over Africa again
Under pouring rain in Rabat, Senegal wrote a new golden page in its history.
At the end of a suffocating final, the Lions of Senegal overcame Morocco (1-0, after extra time) to win the second African Cup of Nations in their history, three years after that of 2021. A victory snatched from courage, in a Prince Moulay Abdallah stadium transformed into a cauldron.
For a long time, the final looked like a game of chess. Senegal held the ball, imposed their pressure and increased their incursions. But facing him, a disciplined, patient Morocco supported by an imperial Bonou. The turning point of the match came in added time of regulation time: Brahim Diaz rushed to take a penalty that could have changed everything. His bold gesture came up against the firm hand of the Senegalese goalkeeper. A monumental save which froze an entire stadium and offered a breath of hope to the Lions.
After this scare, overtime turned to Senegal’s advantage. In the 94th minute, following a Moroccan loss of the ball in the middle of the field, Pape Gueye advanced, fixed the defense and fired a sublime left shot, with the bar returning. The silence before the explosion: this goal will remain as one of the most striking in the history of Senegalese football.
What’s next? A desperate Moroccan assault. Despite the injury to Hamza Igamane which reduced the Atlas Lions to ten, they continued to believe in it. Nayef Aguerd, with a header on the bar in the 108th minute, came close to equalizing. But Mendy, again, held the wall until the last second.
At the final whistle, emotions boiled over. The Senegalese, soaked but radiant, embraced each other in the rain, aware of having won a title at the cost of suffering. Opposite, the tears of Aguerd and the Moroccan supporters spoke of all the cruelty of football.
In the night of Rabat, the roar of the Lions of Teranga resonated louder than the storm. Senegal is once again king of Africa.
Cheikh Gora DIOP, special envoy to Rabat (Morocco)
