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Clinical Morocco sets record following CHAN victory

 

Morocco proved they are still the best two years after, after beating Mali 2-0 in Yaounde on Sunday to retain the CHAN title.

The team maintained an impressive run in the championship this year from start to finish.

Soufiane Bouftini broke the deadlock on 69 minutes and captain Ayoub el Kaabi doubled the lead 10 minutes later to ensure the north Africans created history.

It was the second CHAN final loss for Mali, after 2016, and they are still seeking a first Confederation of African Football (CAF) senior national team success.

Morocco won five of six matches at a tournament reserved for home-based players, scored 15 goals and conceded only three as they matched the Democratic Republic of Congo in lifting the trophy twice.

Morocco went into the title decider as favourites having scored 12 goals against Uganda, Zambia and hosts Cameroon in their previous three matches.

Mali had managed just one goal in their last three outings, eliminating Congo Brazzaville and Guinea in penalty shootouts after goalless quarter-final and semi-final stalemates following extra time.

Moroccan Soufiane Rahimi began the final as the leading scorer in the competition with five goals and Malian Issaka Samake was yellow carded after only six minutes for a foul on the Golden Boot chart-topper.

When Rahimi was fouled a third time, just outside the box, Morocco almost went ahead from the resultant free-kick, which goalkeeper Djigui Diarra parried and the loose ball was hastily cleared.

Read AlsoGuinea shock Cameroon 2-0 to finish third at CHAN

A long VAR delay 10 minutes into the second half ended with Morocco’s appeal for a penalty being denied and almost immediately Malian Sadio Kanoute nodded just wide off a free-kick.

 

 

 

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