Morocco’s football federation president, Fouzi Lekjaa, has launched a stinging criticism of Senegal’s approach to their recent World Cup qualifier, accusing the Teranga Lions of giving up the fight.
The comments follow Morocco’s 1-1 draw with Senegal in Dakar on June 10, a result that secured the Atlas Lions’ place at the 2026 World Cup. The match was overshadowed by a controversial incident in the 97th minute, when Senegal’s Ismail Jakobs was sent off for a foul on Morocco’s Eliesse Ben Seghir, leading to a penalty. Hakim Ziyech converted the spot-kick to equalize.
In a revealing interview, Lekjaa expressed his strong disapproval of Senegal’s conduct in the final moments. “What I didn’t like was Senegal’s attitude,” Lekjaa stated. “They gave up. They just quit fighting!” He contrasted this with Morocco’s resilience in a prior 2-1 defeat in Gabon, where his team continued to push until the final whistle despite the loss.
The federation president detailed the chaotic end to the match in Dakar, describing how the Senegalese players surrounded the referee for eight minutes following the penalty decision. He also claimed that security forces entered the pitch, with one officer attempting to confront the match official before being restrained. “Then they took the decision not to resume play. They left the field,” Lekjaa said, emphasizing that the Moroccan players remained ready to continue.
Lekjaa confirmed that the Moroccan federation has submitted an official report on the match’s events to both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The draw in Senegal, combined with earlier results, was enough for Morocco to book their ticket to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
