‘We made a mistake’- Senegal’s Gueye on AFCON final

Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has admitted that the team’s controversial walk-off during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against Morocco was a mistake.

Gueye, who scored the winning goal in extra time, spoke on French television on Sunday about the incident that caused a 20-minute delay in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat last week.

Morocco were awarded a late penalty, prompting Senegal to briefly leave the pitch. Gueye said: “We are only human, we realised our mistake and came back out. Anyone can make a mistake.”

He praised former Liverpool star Sadio Mane for urging the team to return to the game for the penalty, saying: “He found the right thing to say at the right moment, and it shows just how important he is to us. We owe him a big thank you.”

Gueye also reflected on Morocco’s missed penalty by Brahim Diaz, describing it as a daring attempt he would not have risked himself. The midfielder acknowledged that Senegal had been frustrated earlier after a goal was disallowed for what they felt was a soft foul.

The Moroccan Football Federation has referred the walkout and incidents involving supporters to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA for review.