France, Dec. 27 -- End of an aura

And so farewell. Morocco entered the 2025 Cup of Nations drenched in the kudos of an 18-game winning streak. Victory on Day 1 over Comoros made it 19. But the hosts are mourning that glory. Mali held them to a 1-1 draw in Rabat to terminate a sequence that stretched back to March 2024. Brahim Diaz gave Morocco the lead just before half-time from the penalty spot. Mali levelled via the same method mid way through the second. RefereeAbdou Abdel Mefire missedJawad El Yamiq's clumsy challenge on the Mali striker Lassine Sinayoko but the beady-eyed video assistant referees did not. They urged the Cameroonian to have a look at the pitch-side monitor and after reviewing his lapse, he pointed to the spot. Sinayo...