Fulham walk off in Malaga in friendly repeat of Senegal AFCON final protest

What the report says

Fulham’s preseason friendly against Malaga in southern Spain ended in confusion on Wednesday after the Premier League side walked off before a planned penalty shootout, according to Al Jazeera’s report. The match at the Trofeo Costa del Sol had finished 2-2 after Malaga scored a late equaliser in the 90th minute.

The central dispute was whether a shootout had been agreed. Fulham said on X that both clubs had already decided there would be no penalties if the match ended level. Malaga, however, said the shootout was part of the arrangement and later counted a penalty into an open net before claiming the trophy. Malaga also said Fulham left the field saying the shootout had not been included in the contract.

Fulham coach Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off after protesting to the referees, Al Jazeera reported. The incident drew attention because it echoed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final controversy, when Senegal briefly walked off after a disputed penalty against Morocco. That match later resumed, and the broader dispute has continued through appeals. While the settings are different, both episodes highlight how unclear pre-match agreements and late officiating decisions can overshadow what was meant to be a routine friendly or final.