Preview: Africa Cup of Nations final: Senegal vs. Morocco - prediction, team news, lineups

Participating in their first Africa Cup of Nations final since 2004, tournament hosts Morocco are just one victory away from ending the nation’s 50-year wait for another continental title.

However, standing in the way of the Atlas Lions at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Sunday are a Senegal side appearing in their third final in the last four editions, and the Lions of Teranga are aiming for their second continental title following their AFCON 2021 triumph in Cameroon.

Match preview

Roared on by a partisan home crowd in Rabat, Walid Regragui’s Morocco are one more triumph from continental immortality, with only Senegal left to overcome.

The tournament hosts began the continental showpiece carrying the weight of expectation of an entire nation, and they have slowly navigated their way after a slow start in Rabat, where supporters initially struggled to be engaged.

However, that has changed as the tournament has progressed, and, regardless of Sunday’s outcome, the Atlas Lions will not deny the partisan support they have enjoyed, especially in the knockout rounds.

That support was undeniable in a tense semi-final victory against Nigeria, whom the Atlas Lions defeated after benefitting from some questionable refereeing decisions for 120 minutes, before executing at a higher level in the resulting shootout to eliminate the West African giants.

Bono was the hero on the day to thwart Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, improving his impressive record of saving penalties.

While the Al-Hilal shot-stopper has saved four of the seven spot-kicks faced in recent shootouts — two of three against Spain at the 2022 World Cup and two of four against Nigeria — the goalie also benefits from a watertight defence that have conceded one goal all tournament — a penalty against Mali.

Morocco have allowed just five shots on target in six games — two of which have emerged from shots inside their penalty area — keeping five shutouts en route to the title match on home turf, to highlight their defensive resoluteness.

It will, therefore, be interesting to see if Senegal find solutions to break down this solid Moroccan backline, as they bid to secure only their second African title.

The Lions of Teranga have scored in every round en route to advancing to the decider in Rabat, but so had AFCON 2025 top scorers Nigeria until they faced the Atlas Lions.

While Morocco’s backline have dominated headlines in the lead-up to the final, Pape Thiaw’s team have kept one fewer clean sheet than the host nation, underlining their sturdy steel, and they also possess one of the competition’s finer attacks.

That area of the pitch is led by Sadio Mane, who notched his 20th goal contribution at the finals since 2017 — fifth at the soon-to-conclude tournament — with Wednesday’s driven effort to seal Senegal’s 1-0 triumph over Egypt in a rematch of the AFCON 2021 final.

The Senegal forward’s 78th-minute goal was the most interesting bit of what was an uneventful semi-final in Tangier, where fans were spared from seeing an extra 30 minutes after the Pharaohs’ disappointing approach was a dampener on what could have been a promising last-four contest.

Morocco are not expected to be as passive and unimaginative as the seven-time African champions, but their defensive compactness should have prepared this Senegal side for another shot at continental glory.

Senegal Africa Cup of Nations form:

Morocco Africa Cup of Nations form:

Team News

Kalidou Koulibaly missed the 2019 final due to suspension, and the centre-back’s booking against Egypt rules out the experienced defender from Sunday’s decider; Mamadou Sarr should replace the Senegal captain at the heart of the defence.

Also missing through suspension is Habib Diarra, meaning Nicolas Jackson is likely to start at centre-forward for the one-time African champions, flanked by Sadio Mane and Iliman Ndiaye, who should get the nod ahead of Ismaila Sarr.

Mane has been involved in five of the West African nation’s 12 goals, followed by Jackson (three), and the forwards will look to be decisive in the forthcoming decider.

Azzedine Ounahi has not played throughout the knockout rounds due to a calf injury, and the midfielder is expected to be absent on Sunday.

The same applies to experienced defender Romain Saiss, who has not played since sustaining a muscle injury in the tournament opener against Comoros, pointing to Regragui continuing with Nayef Aguerd and Adam Masina at the heart of the defence.

Although Achraf Hakimi’s only goal contribution came against Tanzania in the round of 16, the Paris Saint-Germain star’s influence on the team’s offensive dynamic cannot be played down.

While Hakimi has yet to put a foot wrong in his three starts, Brahim Diaz had scored in every round of the tournament before failing to score, but the Real Madrid man is the host nation’s leading attacking threat.

Even though Ayoub El Kaabi has not scored since the group stage against Zambia, the forward is expected to lead the attack at the expense of Youssef En-Nesyri, who scored the winning penalty against Nigeria.

Senegal possible starting lineup:

Mendy; Diatta, Sarr, Niakhate, Diouf; Diarra, I. Gueye, P. Gueye; Ndiaye, Jackson, Mane

Morocco possible starting lineup:

Bono; Hakimi, Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui; Diaz, El Khannouss, Saibari, Ezzalzouli; El Kaabi

We say: Senegal 1-0 Morocco

Morocco’s watertight backline and the partisan support in Rabat should provide the perfect foundation for the hosts to stifle Senegal’s creative outlets.

While Mane will remain a constant threat, the Atlas Lions have the tactical discipline to find a solitary goal and end their 50-year wait for continental glory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.