AFCON 2021: What to expect from the Final as Mane and Salah go head-to-head

After three weeks of a convention that saw the biggest names in African football gather in Cameroon, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will finally come to an end.

Of 24 teams that entered the competition, 2019 runners-up Senegal and seven-time winners Egypt fought their way through four difficult stages to remain on course for glory in Cameroon.

But what is to be expected as head coaches Aliou Cisse and Carlos Queiroz put their respective sides on display on Sunday's much anticipated final?

Egypt attempting to drag Senegal into extra time

The Pharaohs have shown in all of their knockout games that they have the ability to go the distance. The Egyptians advanced to the finals after an extra-time win over Morocco in the Quarter-finals, and two penalty shootout victories over Ivory Coast in the Round of 16 and Cameroon in the Semi-finals.

Against Senegal, they would hope to repeat the pattern. As a result, it is likely they will resort to sitting deep to keep Senegal from scoring. If successful, they will have a chance at winning this game as they did against their opponents before the Final.

Senegal will have to be even more attack-minded

The Lions of Teranga rounded off their group stage campaign scoring just a goal and conceding none. Labelled "the best defence in the tournament" at the time, they repeated their clean sheet display against Cape Verde in the Round of 16 but everything changed after that.

Conceding back-to-back goals against Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso in the quarter-final and semi-final indicated that the Senegalese had shifted their focus from defence to offence, scoring six goals in the two games they conceded.

Against Egypt, who now seem to have the new "the best defence in the tournament", Senegal's focus will certainly be more on the attacking side of things.

It will be a low-scoring final

Recent AFCON finals have had the reputation for being low-scoring affairs, with seven of the last eight having produced just under 1.5 goals.

Considering Egypt has scored just four goals throughout the tournament and required extra time or penalties in each of their knockout matches, they might opt to tow that pattern again.

Despite their attacking talents, the Pharaohs have tended to grind down their opponents, rather than tear them apart. Against Senegal, relying on their defensive prowess and big-game experience could be all they need to win their eighth AFCON honour.