Both sides have been defensively sound throughout the tournament so far, which has been a key reason for their success. Senegal were able to keep a strong Egypt side at bay in the semi-finals, restricting the Pharaohs to just three shots. That result meant Senegal have conceded only twice from their six AFCON games so far. 

However, that isn’t enough to crown them as the best defensive unit, as host nation Morocco have only conceded one goal. The Atlas Lions were equally as impressive on Wednesday, as they progressed past Nigeria on penalties. The Super Eagles had been one of the best attacking sides at AFCON so far,  having scored 14 goals prior to the semi-finals, but they were limited to just two shots in regular time by Morocco. 

Walid Regragui’s men come into the final as marginal favourites, and will hope to secure the trophy with the backing of a strong home support.

Both semi-final games were quite cagey, with neither side wanting to make a costly mistake. Egypt’s tactics were particularly pragmatic against Senegal, as the Pharaohs spent the vast majority of the game camped in their own defensive third until they conceded. By then, it was too late to establish a foothold in the game, and they succumbed to a 1-0 loss.

Egypt managed just one corner in a timid performance, but Senegal had conceded at least four corners in both knockout matches prior. For the first time in this tournament, Senegal are priced as pre-match underdogs, so it could be a real test for them.

Morocco are expected to be a lot more progressive in their approach than Egypt were, and they managed four corners against Nigeria in the previous round. That means they have hit four or in all six AFCON matches so far, racking up seven corners against Cameroon in the quarter-finals. The over 4.5 line is an appealing price towards evens, and Morocco's corners totals in the tournament suggest they'll force their fair share in the final.

Morocco have drawn the 2nd-most fouls of any AFCON side this season, with their opponents also averaging 3.67 yellow cards per game. The Atlas Lions have been an incredibly difficult side to contain, and this will be a real test for Senegal. 

Idrissa Gueye, in particular, could be in for a tough night, operating in defensive midfield for the Lions. The Everton man is averaging 1.67 fouls per 90 at AFCON this year, and has registered multiple infringements in three of his six matches. Considering he will be up against the likes of Brahim Diaz, Ismael Saibari and Abde Ezzalzouli, that figure could be set to rise sharply. Those three have combined for a ridiculous 9.03 fouls drawn per 90 across Morocco’s six AFCON games, ranking 1st, 4th and 12th, respectively, for total fouls won in the tournament.

The PSG man has been fit enough to start all three knockout matches, which has been a massive boost for Morocco - he has recovered from injury at the perfect time, and should play a massive role in the final. 

The 27-year-old had two shots against Nigeria in the semi-final, and is always looking to break forward. He is no stranger to a big game, and managed to get on the scoresheet in the Champions League final last season. 

Hakimi is averaging 1.49 shots per 90 across all competitions for PSG this season, and has registered a shot in eight out of ten matches when playing the full 90. Despite featuring as a right back on paper, he is given just as much attacking licence for Morocco, and will be a candidate to take free kicks.