AFCON 2025 Match Preview, Final: Senegal vs Morocco
Africa’s top two teams, Morocco and Senegal, will face off in the 2025 AFCON final.
As the tournament hosts take on the Teranga Lions, both nations are competing to secure only their second championship title in history.
Senegal
As Senegal chases their second African crown, the central question is whether they can penetrate Morocco’s formidable defense. While the Lions of Teranga have maintained a perfect scoring record throughout the tournament, they must remain cautious; Nigeria held the title of top scorers until Morocco’s backline silenced them in the semifinals.
Senegal’s own defensive strength shouldn’t be overlooked, however, as they trail the hosts by only one clean sheet. This defensive stability is complemented by a potent attack spearheaded by Sadio Mane. Mane recently underscored his importance by scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over Egypt—a repeat of the 2021 final—marking his fifth goal contribution of this tournament and his 20th career goal contribution in the finals since 2017.
In a largely dull semi-final in Tangier, the Senegal forward’s goal in the 78th minute provided a rare spark of excitement. Egypt’s lackluster performance drained the energy from a match that held much potential, but the late score at least saved spectators from the tedium of an additional 30 minutes of extra time.
Morocco
Fueled by the intense energy of their home fans in Rabat, Walid Regragui’s Morocco squad stands on the verge of historic continental glory, with only Senegal blocking their path to the title.
The Atlas Lions entered the tournament under immense pressure to succeed on home soil. While they initially struggled to find their rhythm and capture the crowd’s enthusiasm during the early stages in Rabat, the momentum has shifted dramatically.
As the team progressed through the competition, the bond between the players and the public strengthened. Regardless of the result in Sunday’s final, the team has been deeply impacted by the fierce local support that reached its peak during the high-stakes knockout rounds.
The Al-Hilal goalkeeper has been a wall in recent penalty shootouts, stopping four out of the last seven shots he’s faced—specifically two against Spain in 2022 and two against Nigeria. However, his job is made easier by a rock-solid defense that has allowed only a single goal during the entire tournament, which came from a penalty kick against Mali. Morocco’s defensive dominance on home soil was clear: they conceded only five shots on target across six matches—with just two coming from inside the box—on their way to five clean sheets and a spot in the final.
Head-to-Head
This marks the first Africa Cup of Nations finals meeting between these two teams. However, Morocco holds a distinct psychological edge, having triumphed in five of their last six encounters.
Form Guide
Senegal’s form: W-D-W-W-W-W
Morocco’s form: W-D-W-W-W-W
Injury Update & Suspension
Senegal will be without the suspended Kalidou Koulibaly and Habib Diarra, whereas Morocco appears to have a fully available squad.
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Key Players
Sadio Mané holds the record for the most AFCON goals by a Senegalese player, famously clinching the 2021 title with his final penalty after scoring the decisive semi-final goal against Egypt.
Attempting to neutralize him is Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, who enters the match with an impressive record of four consecutive clean sheets in the tournament.
Predicted Lineup
Senegal Starting XI: Mendy; Diatta, Sarr, Niakhate, Diouf; Diarra, I. Gueye, P. Gueye; Ndiaye, Jackson, Mane
Morocco Starting XI: Bono; Hakimi, Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui; Diaz, El Khannouss, Saibari, Ezzalzouli; El Kaabi
Verdict: Morocco’s rock-solid defense, bolstered by a roaring home crowd in Rabat, is expected to neutralize Senegal’s attacking flair. Although Mane poses a perennial danger, the Atlas Lions possess the tactical rigor needed to secure a narrow victory and finally reclaim the African title after five decades.
Senegal 0-1 Morocco
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