We could be in for a cracker of a final at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat on Sunday, as Senegal battle host nation Morocco for the title.
Both have negotiated their way through the 24-team continental showdown, whittled down to the last two nations standing over the course of the last month.
They collide after Egypt and Nigeria contest the 3rd Place Final in Casablanca on Saturday.
*All kick off times are in Central Africa Time.
Final: Senegal vs Morocco – 21.00
The title is on the line on Sunday when Senegal play Morocco in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat.
A seductive contest pits the host nation against the 2021 Afcon champions, leaving the battle on a knife-edge at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
It seems incredible that the Moroccans haven’t won the continental title since their only win in 1976, while they’ve had eight failed attempts to go beyond the quarter-finals since losing their other final appearance in 2004.
All that while growing to become Africa’s first Fifa World Cup semi-finalists at the 2022 edition in Qatar.
The Senegalese haven’t hit those heights but do have decent recent pedigree in the competition, finishing as runners-up in 2019 to tee up their only title win two years later.
Both nations were made to sweat as they scrapped to keep their respective dreams of a second Afcon crown alive on Wednesday.
The Atlas Lions in particular had to slog their way through a semi-final with Nigeria, in a game that produced no goals and precious few chances in over 120 minutes of regulation and extra time.
But an expectant home crowd were rewarded when Yassine Bounou saved two Nigerian penalties, setting up Youssef En-Nesyri to sweep home the winning penalty shootout kick and dispense with the Super Eagles.
The Lions of Teranga didn’t have a much easier time of it earlier in the day, as Egypt proved to be predictably stubborn opponents in Tangier.
Sadio Mane eventually broke the deadlock in the 78th minute with what proved to be the only goal of the game, sending former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah back to the English Premier League with his tail between his legs.
Senegal had endured a similarly tough quarter-final at the same venue against a Mali side reduced to ten men just before half time, thanks to a second yellow card for Yves Bissouma.
It was a first half strike from Iliman Ndiaye that did the trick on this occasion, taking them through to the last four.
They had previously progressed through the Round of 16 in more convincing fashion, seeing off Sudan thanks to a double from Pape Gueye and one from Paris Saint-Germain wonderkid Ibrahim Mbaye, sealing a 3-1 success after they had fallen behind early on.
The pool phase was also straightforward enough.
A pair of 3-0 wins over Botswana and Benin sandwiched a 1-1 draw with DR Congo, whom they pipped to top spot in Group D to set up their tilt at the Afcon title.
Brahim Diaz had continued his sensational scoring run for Morocco as they reached the semi-final stage with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon, with Ismael Saibari netting the other.
Tanzania were seen off in the Round of 16 at their Rabat fortress, although it took over an hour for Diaz to break them down with the game’s only goal.
They had earlier kicked off their home tournament with a 2-0 win over Comoros all the way back on 21 December.
A 1-1 draw with Mali ensured there would be no dramatic home failure, as a pair of penalties decided the contest, before a 3-0 stroll past the challenge of Zambia propelled them through Group A in top spot.
And now the heat is on as their home faithful expect glory following their World Cup exploits, steady progression and team full of star names.
But it’s their opponents who have recent Cup of Nations history on their side, making for a fascinating finale in the far north of the continent.
Senegal v Morocco
| Result prediction | Morocco to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Morocco to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Morocco only |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |