Morocco won the final of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Sunday, beating Mali 2-0 in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Already winners in 2018, the Atlas Lions become the first selection to win the competition twice in a row.
A historic double for Morocco. The Atlas Lions won 2-0, Sunday, February 7, against Mali in the CHAN-2020 final thanks to goals from Soufiane Bouftini and Ayoub El Kaabi. Already defending the title, the Moroccan selection makes history by becoming the first to win two consecutive trophies in this young African competition.
LES CHAMPIONS DEUX FOIS D’AFFILÉES! 🥇
CHAMP🏆ONS #TotalCHAN2020!
𝓛𝓮𝓼 𝓛𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓭'𝓐𝓽𝓵𝓪𝓼 𝓭𝓾 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓬! 🦁🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/LoAv979i6l
— #TotalCHAN2020 – FR (@caf_online_FR) February 7, 2021
The Malian 4-2-3-1, a device that allowed it to be the best defense at this stage, with only one goal conceded in five matches, has long managed to block the meeting. The intense and physical pressing allowed the Malians to recover balls in the opposing half of the field at the start of the match. Without concretization, however.
However, the price to pay for this intensity is an increase in faults and free kicks. Hafidi took the opportunity to offer his first opportunity in Morocco by placing the ball on the head of Ayoub El Kaabi (15th). On another set piece, Soufiane Rahimi, the competition’s top scorer, combines viciously with Hafidi and unleashes a taut shot. The iconic goalkeeper and captain Djigui Diarra pushes back (18th).
The reaction was not long in coming. Found in the depths, Moussa Koné comes face to face with the keeper alone. The center-forward of Réal Bamako stumbles on Anas Zniti (22nd). With their compact and organized bloc, the Malians then seem able to stifle the offensive potential of the Atlas Lions, as they did previously with the Congo and Guinea.
Mali finally cracks
But, after the break, Morocco returns to the pitch in better shape. The Lions finally find space in the opposing defense. Hafidi slips a ball deep to Rahimi. Samake intervenes in extremis (51st). If the Moroccans claim a penalty, video arbitration does not award it. Then, a few minutes later, Samake brushes a free kick at the far post, Kanoute takes the best on the defense but his head misses (56th).
Fatigue at the end of the competition and a high-stakes game requires, the game is chopped by mistakes. The opportunities gradually dwindle, with the two teams burying themselves in a trench warfare. The only exception: an opening on Moussa Kone who stumbles again on Zniti (64th), designated man of the match.
Under these conditions, the solution comes from set pieces: on a corner taken by Omar Namsaoui, Soufiane Bouftini crucifies Djigui Diarra to give the advantage (68th, 1-0). Then, on another corner, captain Ayoub El Kaabi made the break (79th, 2-0). Mali will not recover. Five years after the final lost to DR Congo in Rwanda, Mali again fails on the last step.
With this second title in its record, Morocco equalizes the number of victories in the competition of DR Congo. The two nations will be able to explain themselves at the next edition in Algeria in 2023.
* The African Football Confederation has decided that the competition will continue to be called TOTAL African Nations Championship Cameroon 2020, despite the tournament being postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19.
