Samuel Eto'o Defends Senegal Coach Pape Thiaw After AFCON Final Chaos: 'He Had the Courage'

Cameroonian Football Federation President Samuel Eto'o has voiced his support for Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, who ordered his players off the pitch during a tense AFCON final against Morocco following a controversial penalty decision.

The final in Rabat, which Senegal ultimately won 1-0 in extra time to claim their second consecutive African title, was overshadowed by a contentious moment.

After a Senegalese goal was disallowed for a minor foul on Achraf Hakimi, the referee awarded a penalty to Morocco for a challenge on Brahim Diaz.

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The decision ignited fury among Senegalese supporters, leading to clashes in the stands and a scuffle on the field.

In response, Pape Thiaw instructed his team to return to the locker room, a move intended to pressure officials. While the gesture drew criticism, it found an ally in Samuel Eto'o, who reflected on a similar situation he faced.

"I was given a four-match ban because I refused to make that decision," Eto'o told France 24, recalling a heated quarter-final match between Cameroon and Morocco.

"Emotions can be uncontrollable, and at one point during the Cameroon-Morocco match, there was a lot of emotion, and one of my compatriots suggested I withdraw the team."

Samuel Eto'o, who received a multi-match suspension and a fine from CAF for his own conduct but avoided a harsher penalty by maintaining his composure, now faces a different role as an administrator.

Pape Thiaw, despite a quick apology, could face serious sanctions for his actions during the final, which was eventually decided by a Pape Gueye goal after Brahim Diaz missed his penalty with a failed Panenka attempt.

"On a whim, I could have made that decision. I don't think I'm going to blame the Senegalese coach," Eto'o continued.

"On the contrary, he had the courage to defend his team. You have to take that kind of risk. In the end, Senegal wins, and that's what I want to remember."

Addressing the potential disciplinary action against Pape Thiaw, Samuel Eto'o added: "Now, those in charge of investigating and looking at what went wrong will take responsibility. But the fact remains that there are emotions involved in a football match."

While the outcome favoured Senegal, the controversy has cast a shadow, particularly with Morocco filing a formal complaint against Thiaw.

To prevent such incidents from damaging the image of African football, Samuel Eto'o advocated for more extensive use of video replay technology.

His call was particularly relevant given the disallowed goal for Senegal, where the referee's premature whistle prevented a VAR review.

"We need to understand that emotions are involved and do everything we can to prevent them from getting out of hand. And what does 'doing everything' mean? It means we have, perhaps, VAR," Eto'o explained.

"It costs us nothing to review the facts of the game. And I think that if, at some point, we review the facts of the game, then our emotions will be much better controlled."