Senegal vs Morocco live: Afcon final latest updates as host nation bid for first title in 50 years
Can Morocco make history in front of their home crowd or will Senegal become two-time champions?
Hosts Morocco will bid to win their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 50 years as they face Senegal in the tournament’s blockbuster finale.
The Atlas Lions, who reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, have been among the favourites to claim the fabled continental crown this year and sealed their place in the final in the most dramatic fashion, edging out Nigeria on penalties to spark raucous scenes in Rabat.
Senegal, champions for the first time in 2021, stand between them and Afcon glory after talisman Sadio Mane proved the difference against Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, firing home the decisive winner in a 1-0 triumph.
Two of Africa’s heavyweights, it acts as only the first meeting between the nations in Afcon history, with it coming on the biggest stage of them all.
Follow all the latest updates from the Afcon final below:
Final preparations
T-minus 15 minutes until kick-off!
Senegal's experience on this stage
Both nations are bidding to win their second Africa Cup of Nations crown - though one team will know how to handle this occasion far more than the other.
Senegal’s only title came comparatively recently, with the Teranga Lions lifting the fabled trophy in 2021 when they beat Egypt.
Morocco, meanwhile, have not won Afcon since 1976 and played their last final over two decades ago in 2004.
Senegal vs Morocco: Head-to-head
Morocco have won four of their last six meetings with Senegal, with the Teranga Lions’ only victory in this period coming in the form of a 1-0 win on 25 May 2012 in a friendly match.
And while the two nations have clashed in numerous qualifiers and friendlies, tonight will actually be the first time they have faced in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Their most recent meeting came in August of last year, which saw the Atlas Lions win on penalties to book their place in the African Nations Championship final.
Closing ceremony held ahead of kick-off
The usual closing ceremony shtick to whet the whistle for the Afcon final that’s to come - we’re just over half an hour away from kick-off!
Ayoub El Kaabi's acrobatic heroics
Morocco frontman Ayoub El Kaabi has three goals to his name this Afcon - but would you be surprised to hear that two of them have been bicycle kicks?
While he hasn’t been necessarily relied on for goals, with Brahim Diaz taking that mantle, the Olympiacos striker probably boasts the best highlight reel of any player this tournament.
His first bicycle kick came in the Afcon curtain raiser against Comoros, before emulating his exploits in Morocco’s final group win over Zambia.
Surely we won’t see a three-peat tonight... right?
Latest odds
Football betting sites think that a Morocco win and a clean sheet is the likeliest outcome at 12/5, and given the hosts home advantage and superb defensive record, we’re inclined to agree.
They also predict that Afcon top scorer Brahim Diaz will stay in the goals to help guide the Atlas Lions to glory, with the bookmakers having the Real Madrid midfielder to score anytime at 3/1
Senegal win - 11/8
Morocco win - 8/13
Cameroon chief Samuel Eto’o hit with four-match ban for alleged Afcon misconduct
Samuel Eto’o, President of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), has been handed a four-match ban by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for alleged misconduct during Cameroon’s 2-0 defeat by hosts Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) last Friday.
Eto’o was reportedly seen making an angry gesture over refereeing decisions in the presence of CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
This incident coincided with CAF opening investigations into violent confrontations during AFCON matches, after players from both sides jostled.
CAF’s disciplinary board fined Eto’o $20,000, a decision FECAFOOT immediately criticised as "lacks any explicit justification".
Cameroon chief Samuel Eto’o hit with four-match ban for alleged Afcon misconduct
Senegal bringing the noise
Senegal fans will do all they can to make tonight’s atmosphere a little less hostile for their players, who face the challenge of crushing a Moroccan dream in enemy territory...
Senegal vs Morocco prediction: Atlas Lions to earn second Afcon title
This year’s final pits two under-achieving continental giants against each other, with both Morocco and Senegal having won just one previous Afcon title. Senegal won as recently as 2021, but the Atlas Lions have to go back half a century to their only victory in the competition.
The hosts come into the showpiece event with plenty of expectation on them, partly due to hosting the competition and partly due to their run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, which has given them a certain status on the continent even three years later.
The quality of Morocco’s squad also meant they were favourites from an early stage this winter, and they have so far repaid that faith with a string of solid performances on the way to the final.
The narrow win over Tanzania was followed by a professional performance as they breezed past Cameroon, and while the win over Nigeria had to come via penalties, it was the hosts who were by far the better side throughout.
And while Morocco have scored nine goals over their six games so far, it’s their defensive record that’s most impressive, with the Atlas Lions having conceded just once across the entire tournament (in their second match, against Mali).
Senegal vs Morocco prediction: Diaz to feature as Atlas Lions land famous victory
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks