YAOUNDE, Feb 7 (Reuters) – Soufiane Bouftini and Ayoub El Kaabi both scored in the space of 11 second-half minutes to help Morocco secure a 2-0 victory over Mali in Sunday’s African Nations Championship final in Yaounde.

Morocco retained the trophy at the end of the 16-team tournament for national teams made up only of locally based players, in a dominant performance that emphasised their superiority over the last three weeks.

Bouftini opened the scoring after 68 minutes and El Kaabi added the second in the 79th.

The tournament also served as a test event for Cameroon, who next January host the 24-team Africa Cup of Nations finals. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Johannesburg; Editing by Toby Davis)

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