SENEGAL FACE WALK-OFF RAP

SENEGAL are set to be sanctioned for walking off the field in protest at a penalty award in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

- BY PHIL BLANCHE and JAMIE GARDNER

The team were led off the field by head coach Pape Thiaw after hosts Morocco were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute of stoppage time following a VAR review, seconds after Senegal had a goal ruled out.

Play resumed 17 minutes later when the players returned to the field, with Morocco's Brahim Diaz missing the penalty and Senegal going on to win the match in extra-time thanks to a spectacular strike from Pape Gueye.

Their celebrations will be tempered by the likelihood of disciplinary consequences for the walk-off, with tournament organisers the Confederation of African Football (CAF) taking a dim view of the incident.

A confederation statement said: "CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.”

Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane seemed reluctant to join the protest and said his country would have been “crazy” not to finish the game. "It would have been a shame and sad to see this kind of scenario happen,” Mane said about the possibility that the game might be abandoned.

He added: “African football has evolved in an incredible way and the proof is that it is followed all over the world. I did what I had to do. It would be crazy to not play this game because what, the referee gave a penalty and we go out of the game?

“That would be the worst thing, especially in African football. I'd rather lose than this kind of thing happen to our football.”

Thiaw apologised following the game.