If there's a pitch abandonment, it's over

Hugo Broos defends CAF's decision to award Morocco the Africa Cup of Nations title after Senegal's pitch abandonment, saying the forfeit rule is clear and must be respected.

The Africa Cup of Nations final controversy continues after Senegal's players left the pitch in the closing stages of their 1-0 victory over Morocco on 18 January. CAF awarded the title to Morocco by default (3-0 forfeit), and Senegal appealed the decision. Hugo Broos, the Belgian coach who won the continental title with Cameroon in 2017, has weighed in on the dispute, stating unequivocally that the abandonment rule is straightforward: if a team leaves the field, they forfeit the match and lose by default. Broos said the regulations exist to be respected, though he acknowledged the decision is harsh for Senegal.