They went a bit overboard, but they showed desire â?? Kurt Okraku on Senegal's AFCON final conduct

Confederation of African Football (CAF) 2nd Vice President and Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku has publicly defended the Senegal national team's conduct during the chaotic 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, arguing that their much-criticised actions demonstrated a profound desire to win.

The final, which Senegal won 1-0 against Morocco after extra time, was marred by a 15-minute stoppage, a pitch invasion, and physical clashes after a contentious penalty decision. In response, Senegal's players walked off the pitch at the instruction of coach Pape Thiaw.

While CAF imposed heavy sanctions—including a $615,000 fine on Senegal, a five-match ban and $100,000 fine for Coach Thiaw, and suspensions for players—Okraku offered a contrasting perspective on the team's intent. "People have read a lot of negativity into the behaviour of Senegal," Okraku told GTV Sports Plus.

"I tend to see it the other way. Yes, they went a bit overboard, but they showed that they had the desire, they showed that they wanted victory at all costs, and they showed that they wanted to compete, regardless of the odds they may have thought confronted them. And for me, that is football."

His defence comes as Morocco announced its intention to appeal the sanctions levied by CAF, describing the penalties as disproportionate. Despite the controversy, CAF rejected Morocco's formal appeal to overturn the match result, allowing Senegal's victory to stand.

Okraku's comments highlight a nuanced view within African football's leadership, framing the incident as an extreme but understandable expression of competitive spirit rather than purely unacceptable conduct.

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