There are just a few days to go now until the 2019 AFCON final. It’s been a thrilling tournament so far with plenty of talking points, not least the fortunes of Madagascar: despite being ranked one of the 6th worst teams on the continent, the minnows managed to knock out the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach the quarter finals of the tournament.
Finally, the two finalists were decided on Sunday, 14 July. Algeria will face Senegal in the final, thanks to an own goal which sent Tunisia out of the semi-final and a stoppage time goal that now gives Algeria a shot at the title.
Algeria’s journey to the final
The team have been in ruthless form and won all their group games — which includes a 1–0 victory over Senegal. They did, however, struggle against the Ivory Coast. Despite taking the lead, they failed to kill the game off and their opponents forced them all the way to penalties before Algeria could reach the semi final. Of comfort to Algeria will be the fact that Cameroon — who were the original hosts but were ruled unfit to hold the tournament — are out of the tournament.
Algeria have won the AFCON once before, way back in 1990, and will be keen to lift that trophy again. The captain, Riyad Mahrez, has been leading from the front and has scored a couple of goals in the tournament during the team’s journey. Algeria will need his leadership to keep pushing through following the injury of Youcef Atal in the match against the Ivory Coast. The 23 year old fractured his collarbone during the game and his tournament is over.
Senegal’s road to the final
If Senegal want to lift the 2019 AFCON trophy, they’ll have to achieve it without their captain and centre back, Kalidou Koulibaly, who will miss the final because of a suspension. Although the team have never won the cup, they have reached the final before and will be looking to correct this.
The Senegalese nation will be hoping their national side learned from its earlier encounter with Algeria in the tournament and will give as good as they got this time. Their team will be looking to standout players Idriss Gueye and, of course, Sadio Mane, to work some magic. The two players have been linking up well during the tournament. They’ll have to remain on top form to keep the team’s confidence up, as Senegal are relying on their second keeper, Alfred Gomis, in the wake of an injury to first keeper, Edouard Mendy, which ruled him out of the entire competition.
Despite being the favourites and having some big names on their side, Senegal’s track record in this year’s tournament seems to go against them. Luck has been on their side and it was an own goal that carried them through to the final — and an overturned penalty against Gueye also helped. Algeria have been merciless throughout the tournament and when the two teams meet up on Sunday, Senegal’s luck may just run out.