- A supercomputer had predicted who would win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday, January 18, in Morocco
- The hosts will face Senegal as the 1976 champions, and the 2021 champions chase their second continental glory
- The supercomputer correctly predicted who would qualify for the finals, with Egypt and Nigeria getting knocked out
Opta’s supercomputer has given its final prediction for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ahead of the highly-anticipated game between Senegal and Morocco.
Source: Twitter
The two countries will face off at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, looking to cap off a wonderful tournament that began just before Christmas last year.
Both sides have one AFCON title to their name, but the pressure will be on the hosts to deliver on home soil.
Their last and only trophy came way back in 1976, and after reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, all eyes will be on Walid Regragui’s charges.
Both sides have led a spotless campaign so far. Senegal beat Egypt in the semi-finals thanks to Sadio Mane’s shot, while Morocco needed post-match penalties to overcome Nigeria.
Opta predicts who will win AFCON 2025
Morocco has been given a marginal advantage to win their second title, with Opta giving them a 54.57% chance.
This means that Senegal, AFCON winners in 2021, have a 45.43% chance to upset the Atlas Lions on home soil.
“Morocco is the favourite. They are first in Africa in the FIFA rankings and eleventh in the world. We are behind them and we are trying to compete,” said Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw during the press conference on Saturday.
AFCON 2025: Road to the final
Morocco opened their campaign with a 2-0 win over Comoros before they were held to a frustrating one-all draw against Mali. They regrouped to beat Zambia 1-0 in their final game to win Group A.
That set them up against Tanzania, whom they beat 1-0 to sail through to the quarter-finals. Regragui’s side beat five-time champions Cameroon 2-0 before the post-match penalty shoot-out win over Nigeria.
As for Senegal, the West Africans beat Botswana and Benin by identical 3-0 scorelines in the group and drew with DR Congo 1-1 to win Group D.
They beat Sudan 3-1 in the Round of 16 before a slim 1-0 win over Mali in the Last 8.
Brahim Diaz and Sadio Mane will be gunning for the MVP of the tournament after leading their sides to the final. The former has five goals to his name and will be targeting the Golden Boot as well. Mane has so far chipped in with two goals and three assists.
Source: Getty Images
Who is suspended for AFCON 2025 final?
Senegal will be without two players who will be suspended for the AFCON final due to the accumulation of yellow cards.
Captain Kalidou Koulibaly and Habib Diarra received their second yellow cards in the knockout rounds in their win over Egypt.
Yellow cards are wiped out after the group stages, but reset in the knockout rounds.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
