With 51 matches already played, the 35th edition of the African Cup of Nations will come to an end on Sunday night with a grand final pitting the best two African teams as Senegal clash with the hosts Morocco in Rabat.
The Atlas Lions of Morocco, whose only victory came in 1976, are on a 50-year trophy drought, while the Lions of Teranga of Senegal are also in the hunt for their 2nd title since being crowned champions in 2021.
The final will kick off at 10pm Kenyan time at the 67,800-seater Prince Moulay Stadium in Rabat, where the hosts have played all their 7 matches and have never disappointed their fans.
Walid Regragui’s charges arrive in today’s match as the best African team, placed 11th in the FIFA ranking, while Pape Thiaw’s men from Senegal are ranked 19th and the 2nd best team on the continent.
Morocco remains unbeaten in 24 matches, among them 20 victories, defensively rock solid and backed by a home crowd that has turned Rabat into a fortress.
Senegal, meanwhile, has taken a different path, consistent, powerful and ruthless going forward. Scoring in every match and riding a long unbeaten AFCON run, the Lions of Teranga know how to manage big occasions.
History favours Morocco, with the Atlas Lions holding the edge from their past 31 meetings with 18 wins, six losses and seven draws.
Road to the final
Morocco
Group A: Finished top with seven points from two wins (vs Zambia and Mali) and one draw
Round of 16: Morocco 1–0 Tanzania
Quarter-finals: Morocco 2–0 Cameroon
Semi-finals: Morocco 0–0 Nigeria (won on penalties)
Senegal
Group D: Finished top with seven points from two wins (vs Botswana and Benin) and one draw (vs DR Congo)
Round of 16: Senegal 3–1 Sudan
Quarter-finals: Senegal 1–0 Mali
Semi-finals: Senegal 1–0 Egypt
