Cameroon football legend and federation president Samuel Eto’o has expressed strong support for Senegal coach Pape Thiaw following the dramatic events in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
The match, held on Sunday, was marked by intense moments and widespread protests over controversial refereeing decisions. Eto’o highlighted the immense pressure Thiaw faced and praised the coach’s decision-making under extraordinary circumstances.
Drama in the closing minutes
The tension escalated in the final minutes when Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala disallowed a Senegalese goal, ruling a foul in favor of Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi.
Later, VAR awarded a penalty to Morocco’s Brahim Diaz, but the attempt was easily saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. The deadlock was finally broken just four minutes into extra time when Pape Gueye struck a powerful shot to give Senegal the winning goal, overcoming Morocco’s resilient goalkeeper Yassine Bono, who had performed admirably throughout the match.
Mané’s intervention secures victory
Following the controversial penalty decision, Thiaw reportedly instructed his players to leave the pitch, halting the match for over ten minutes.
It was star forward Sadio Mané who intervened, persuading the Teranga Lions to continue. Senegal eventually secured their second Africa Cup of Nations title, with Mané’s leadership proving decisive in keeping the team focused amid chaos.
Eto’o reflects on similar pressures
Speaking to France24, Eto’o defended Thiaw, saying: “I do not think I would accuse the Senegal coach. On the contrary, Bamba showed courage in defending his team.
“Sometimes you have to take such risks. In the end, Senegal won, and that is what I want to remember.”
Eto’o revealed he faced a similar situation during Cameroon’s quarterfinal against Morocco, when emotions ran high and officials suggested withdrawing the team.
“In a moment of recklessness, I could have done it, but I didn’t,” he explained.
A call for accountability
Eto’o concluded by urging CAF president Patrice Motsepe to “take full responsibility” for the incidents, stressing the need for transparent management of controversies in Africa’s premier football competition.
