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Senegal coach walks out as Moroccan journalists disrupt press conference

The final press conference of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was disrupted after Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s head coach, was forced to walk out amid journalists’ rowdiness. 
On Sunday, Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time to claim their second AFCON title in Rabat. The match had more controversial moments than it had scoring chances. The most contentious episode occurred when Thiaw called his players off the pitch after the referee awarded Morocco a penalty in the 94th minute.
The Senegalese players and officials protested the call, arguing that an earlier goal scored by the team should have stood.
The Teranga Lions walked off the pitch for a few minutes as the entire stadium descended into chaos, with Senegalese fans fighting stadium officials and police bundling people out.

Sadio Mane would eventually order his teammates back on the pitch, and the match proceeded into extra time after Brahim Diaz missed the contentious penalty.
At the post-match press conference, the Senegal coach, accompanied by his daughter, appeared in the press room, and the room erupted in chaos. Thiaw was jeered by Moroccan journalists while their Senegalese counterparts clapped.
The situation degenerated into a shouting match between the two sets of journalists. Officials’ failure to quieten a rowdy room led to Thiaw’s leave.

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