Africa Cup of Nations final: Senegal reserve goalkeeper’s joke after Africa Cup of Nations towel brawls

Senegal’s reserve goalkeeper, Yahvane Diouf, joked about his unique role in protecting his teammate’s towel in his team’s chaotic win in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday.

Diouf (26 years old) was an unused substitute during the final match in Rabat, but he played a major role in Senegal’s second continental victory in five years, amid exceptional circumstances.

In the pouring conditions, former Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy is regularly asked to dry his gloves.

The task was made more difficult as Morocco repeatedly tried to throw in the towel on the 33-year-old, a tactic Morocco also used in the semi-final win over Nigeria.

Diouf, though, was on hand to protect his teammates from ball boys and flag bearers over the course of 120 minutes.

At one point, the Senegal goalkeeper was pinned to the ground by three ball boys and dragged to the ground. Video footage also shows him running away from the ball boys.

Later footage from the match also showed Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi throwing one of Senegal’s towels over an advertising billboard.

Posting on Instagram after the final, Diouf poked fun at the great efforts he put in to help Senegal secure a win, sharing a photo of the winners’ medal and now-iconic towel.

“Here it is – the medal and the towel,” Diouf’s post, which was accompanied by love emojis and crying and laughing emojis, read.