Sadio Mane was among the Teranga Lions players who remained on the field of play and was seen racing back to the dressing room to encourage his team-mates to return.

"The manager [Pape Thiaw] and the players that stayed outside on the pitch told everyone that went inside to come back to the pitch and finish the game," Ndiaye explained.

However, Ndiaye admits the fallout since the final, and the decision by the Caf appeals board to strip them of the title, is "not a good look" for the African game.

Senegal even paraded the Afcon trophy before a friendly against Peru on 28 March, 11 days after the Caf ruling.

"The main focus is that we came back, they [took] the penalty, they could have won it, we scored, we won the game," the 26-year-old said.

"We won the trophy with all that celebration. To take all of that away two months after the final whistle… I don't understand.

"If you give the decision to the referee on the pitch, you [have] got to leave that decision to him and leave it how it is.

"In Africa we have to stay together, be strong and do everything in our power to lift up African football. It wasn't a great look so I just hope they put it right."

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