Renowned refereeing expert Gamal El Ghandour has officially backed the controversial penalty awarded to Morocco during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, labeling the decision as technically “correct” and “beyond reproach.”
Speaking as an analyst for beIN Sports following the tournament’s conclusion in January 2026, the Egyptian veteran maintained that despite the unprecedented chaos and protests that followed the call, the referee’s assessment of the foul was sound under the laws of the game.
El Ghandour emphasized that the contact initiated by Senegal’s defender warranted the spot-kick, dismissing claims that the decision was a result of officiating pressure.
The verdict from Africa’s most decorated former official comes as a response to one of the most tumultuous scenes in AFCON history.
In the 98th minute of the final held on January 18, 2026, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala pointed to the spot after El Hadji Malick Diouf challenged Morocco’s Brahim Díaz.
The decision triggered a 17-minute standoff where Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, led his players off the pitch in a historic protest.
While Senegal eventually returned to the field to complete the match, the incident has since dominated sports headlines across the continent and led to formal complaints.
El Ghandour’s support of the officiating team provides a heavyweight defense against the wave of criticism directed at the match officials. Though Brahim Díaz ultimately missed the penalty—his “Panenka” attempt was comfortably gathered by Edouard Mendy—the expert noted that the outcome of the kick does not change the validity of the initial call.
His analysis sought to separate the technical accuracy of the foul from the emotional and political fallout that saw Senegal win 1–0 in extra time through a Pape Gueye goal.
While El Ghandour has settled the debate from a refereeing standpoint, the legal battle continues. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has leveraged the events of the final to file a complaint with CAF, arguing that Senegal’s mid-match withdrawal should have triggered an automatic disqualification.
