Overview
Fueled by tens of thousands of spectators in Rabat, coach Walid Regragui's Moroccan team is only one victory away from the 2025 African Cup championship, with Senegal being the last obstacle on the historic path.
The home team entered the tournament with huge pressure from the expectations of the whole nation. The start was not too explosive, making the atmosphere at Rabat somewhat hesitant, but the spirit of the fans changed significantly as Morocco advanced deep into the knockout round.
Regardless of the final result, Atlas Lions can be proud of the enthusiastic support they receive, especially in life-and-death matches.
In the semi-finals, Morocco defeated Nigeria in a tense and controversial match. After 120 minutes of winning and losing, the home team showed superior bravery in the penalty shootout to eliminate the West African opponent.
Goalkeeper Bono continues to become a hero when successfully saving shots from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, raising his penalty scoring record to an impressive number. That is saving 4 out of the last 7 penalty kicks in major tournaments.
Not only excellent in penalty shootouts, Morocco's defense also showed rare certainty. The home team has only conceded one goal after 6 matches, kept a clean sheet in 5 matches and only faced 5 shots on target throughout the tournament.
In the opposite direction, Senegal entered the final with the goal of winning the African title for the second time in history. Coach Pape Thiaw's team scored in every round before the semi-finals and possessed one of the most effective attacks in the tournament.
Senegal also showed a remarkable balance when they only kept a clean sheet less than Morocco in just one match, and also possessed individuals who could turn the tide.
The focus of the attack is still Sadio Mane. The 32-year-old star scored his 20th goal in the AFCON finals since 2017 with a decisive goal to help Senegal defeat Egypt 1-0 in the semi-finals - recreating the memories of the 2021 final.
The goal in the 78th minute closed the tight match at Tangier, where Senegal showed coolness at the right time to win a ticket to the final. Morocco will not play as cautiously as Egypt, but their steel defense promises to create the biggest challenge that Senegal must face in this year's tournament.
Personnel situation
Kalidou Koulibaly continues to miss an AFCON final when suspension prevents the veteran Senegalese center-back from participating. Mamadou Sarr is likely to be given a starting spot to replace the leadership role in the defense.
Senegal also does not have the service of Habib Diarra due to a similar penalty, forcing Pape Thiaw to adjust the midfield. In attack, Nicolas Jackson is expected to take on the role of center forward, alongside Sadio Mane and Iliman Ndiaye - who is likely to be prioritized over Ismaila Sarr.
On the opposite side, the home team continues to suffer losses in force. Azzedine Ounahi has not yet recovered from a calf injury and is almost certainly absent from the final.
Captain Romain Saiss has also not played since suffering an injury in the group stage, making it likely that Walid Regragui will continue to place his trust in the duo Nayef Aguerd and Adam Masina in the center of the defense.
Expected lineup:
Mendy, Diatta, Sarr, Niakhate, Diouf, Diarra, I. Gueye, P. Gueye, Ndiaye, Jackson, Mane.
Bono, Hakimi, Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui, El Aynaoui, Diaz, El Khannouss, Saibari, Ezzalzouli, El Kaabi.
The match between Senegal and Morocco takes place at 3:00 AM on January 19 (Vietnam time).
