Morocco player stays on pitch despite blood pouring from face after nasty head collision in AFCON final

The Africa Cup of Nations final was stopped with Morocco player Neil El Aynaoui receiving treatment for a gruesome head injury.

Morocco won a corner in the second half, and as it was swung in, the midfielder jumped in the air to compete for the ball with West Ham‘s El Hadji Malick Diouf.

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El Aynaoui was attacking the ball, and he ended up connecting with the back of Diouf’s head.

Both players immediately collapsed to the floor, and the match was stopped for around eight minutes as medical attention was brought onto the pitch.

Diouf came off much better and was up relatively soon, but the Moroccan was down for quite some time before getting back to his feet, where it was evident that he was badly bleeding.

Achraf Hakimi helped hold a bandage in place as it was strapped around his head, and incredibly after a concussion test, he was allowed to carry on.

The stoppage led to eight minutes of added time, where the controversy has continued.

Senegal thought they’d won the game in the dying embers through Ismaila Sarr.

But the goal was ruled out after there was adjudged to be a foul in the build-up.

Then with eight minutes of time added from the stoppage to El Aynaoui, Morocco were awarded a very soft penalty after a VAR review.

Senegal lost it, and the manager Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch in protest, and that is where we currently stand in the AFCON final.

The game is level at 0-0, and some of the Senegalese players went down the tunnel.

Eventually, they returned only for Brahim Diaz to miss the penalty and miss the chance to win the game for his nation.

He tried a panenka and chipped it straight into Edouard Mendy’s arms.

Things have changed massively in Senegal’s favour since, with Pape Gueye scoring a few minutes into extra time.

What a goal it was as well as he drove from midfield and lashed a stunning strike in off the bar.

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What has happened?

Two terrible decisions from the referee led to scenes of carnage after a brilliant game of football.

Yes, it was 0-0, but there were chances for both sides.

But it will all be overshadowed by that carnage, because once a decision is given, it is final.

But given the importance, and how bad the decisions were, Thiaw ordered his team from the field.

Sadio Mane eventually managed to convince them to come back on, and Diaz took the penalty.

He tried a panenka and Mendy gathered, but there are suggestions that the Moroccan forward missed on purpose, but they are yet to be clarified.

Instead, it is Senegal who lead after one of the craziest endings to a fi al you will ever see.