Morocco became the first back-to-back winners of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) when it defeated Mali 2-0 in the final football match in Yaounde Sunday.
Soufiane Bouftini broke the deadlock at 69 minutes with a header 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.
Morocco won five of six matches at the tournament reserved for home-based players, scored 15 goals and conceded only three as they matched the Democratic Republic of Congo as two-time champions.
Morocco went into the title game as favorites 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 goal-less quarter-final and semi-final stalemates following extra time.
