'There was no unexpected' Africa Cup of Nations final match confirmed, odds of winning Morocco 55% - Senegal 45%

*This content was translated by AI.

The final match of the 2025 African Football Confederation (CAF) Africa Cup of Nations, which will determine the strongest team in Africa, has been confirmed as a showdown between Morocco and Senegal. The two teams, which had been considered the strongest candidates before the competition, eventually faced off in the finals.

Morocco, ranked 11th in the FIFA rankings, advanced to the final by winning 4-2 in the penalty shootout after a scoreless draw with Nigeria in the semifinals of the tournament at Prince Muley Abdela Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on the 15th (Korea time).

In another semifinal held earlier, Senegal, ranked 19th in FIFA, beat Egypt, which includes Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), 1-0, with Sadio Mane (Alnasr)'s winning goal to reach the final.

As a result, Morocco and Senegal will play the long-awaited final at 4 a.m. on the 19th at Prince Muley Abdela Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.

It is the first time in 22 years that host country Morocco has reached the final since the 2004 tournament. He will try to win his second championship in 50 years after winning his first championship in 1976. Senegal reached the final for the first time in five years following the 2021 tournament, and is also looking at its second career championship.

Morocco and Senegal were the favorites even before the tournament. Morocco has been steadily on the rise since the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup semifinal storm, and also topped the FIFA Arab Cup held last month. FIFA ranks 11th, the highest in Africa. It is the second highest FIFA ranking team in Africa after Morocco.

Ahead of the final between the two teams, soccer statistics media Opta predicted Morocco's probability of winning the championship at 55.36% and Senegal at 44.64%, respectively, predicting that host country Morocco's chances of winning the championship are higher.

Morocco also made it to the FIFA North American World Cup finals in June and was in Group C with Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland. Senegal is also set to face France, Norway, and the winner of Intercontinental Playoff Pass 2 (Iraq, Bolivia, Suriname). South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, and South Africa, which belong to the same group at the World Cup, were eliminated in the round of 16.

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*This content was translated by AI.