RABAT, Morocco — Morocco’s dry run as a 2030 Would Cup co-host could hardly have gone worse with the chaotic end to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The final was marred Sunday by fighting between fans and stewards on the field and a walk-off from the Senegal team which felt a grave injustice had been done after having a potential trophy-winning goal ruled out in stoppage time before host Morocco was awarded a penalty.
Outraged Senegalese supporters jumped over barricades and landed in photographers’ positions behind one of the goals, where they threw chairs onto the field and battled with stewards before police arrived to try and restore order.
Meanwhile rival players clashed on the sideline, with Morocco coach Walid Regragui involved in the melee, possibly to calm tensions. Tempers also flared in the press box.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the “unacceptable scenes” and slammed the Senegalese players for leaving the field after Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco the penalty.
The fighting continued even while play resumed for Morocco star Brahim Díaz to take one of the worst penalties in soccer history. Pape Gueye then scored in extra time for Senegal to win the final 1-0.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw’s postgame conference was called off after he arrived smiling for journalists’ questions when he was booed — presumably by Moroccan journalists — and arguments broke out between accredited media.
Security lapses and towels
Apart from the failures in security that allowed fans reach the field of play during the final, there were other incidents that reflected badly on Morocco as host, including the ongoing battle that Senegal’s reserve goalkeeper Yéhvann Diouf had trying to stop Moroccan ball boys from stealing starting ’keeper Édouard Mendy’s towels during the match.
Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali also had his towel taken before the penalty shootout against Morocco in the semifinal.
Morocco also seemed to benefit from favorable refereeing throughout the tournament, while its image as a good host was somewhat marred by the deafening whistles opposing teams faced from the Moroccan fans in the 69,500-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where the home side played all its games.
Before the final, the Senegalese Football Federation strongly condemned local authorities for how its team had been treated upon its arrival in Rabat for the match.
Off the field positives
Morocco is a main co-host for the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. It still harbors hopes of hosting the final in the under-construction Hassan II Stadium, set to be the largest soccer arena in the world with a capacity of 115,000 after its planned completion in 2028.
Rail links taking supporters from Rabat to stadium venues in Tangier, Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir and Fez are excellent, while the ticket app from national railway ONCF is available in English, French or Arabic and straightforward for foreign fans to use.
The motorways between the main cities are also excellent and were praised by journalists arriving from other African countries.
Morocco has already invested heavily in infrastructure and facilities as it bids to become a soccer superpower, and it hasn’t finished yet.
The kingdom next hosts the Women’s Africa Cup for the third time straight from March 17.
Source: AP
