Mali 2-0 Mauritania:Mali see off Mauritania to top group
The opening goal in the second minute by former Newcastle defender Massadio Haidara.
Mali doubled their tally shortly after half-time when Ibrahima Kone smashed in his third penalty in Cameroon after Moussa Doumbia was brought down. Sarpsborg striker Kone now has 11 goals in nine international matches.
Victory means Mali win the group on goal difference and will play Equatorial Guinea in the round of 16, while Mauritania exit as the only team at the Nations Cup without a point.
The opener came from good work down the right and across that Doumbia failed to connect with cleanly.
However, the ball dropped to Lens' Haidara, who was free to bounce his effort back across goal and inside the right-hand upright.
Mali dominated the first half and created better chances, with Mauritania making do with set-piece opportunities.
The Eagles passed the ball well and, after Souleymane Karamoko fouled Doumbia, Norway-based Kone flashed his powerful spot-kick past Babacar Diop.
Mauritania's best chances of getting back into the game came from free-kicks. Still, Guessouma Fofana hit his straight at the keeper, and then Adama Ba forced a much more difficult save from Ibrahim Mounkoro.
Kone, who sits two goals behind Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar in the race for the golden boot, had a chance to add to his tally, but he dragged his shot across goal and wide of the far post.
Haidara was later denied his second game by a smart Diop save from a free-kick.
While Mauritania head home without even a goal to their name, Mali will travel back along the coast to Limbe, where they played their first two group games, to take on Algeria's conquerors Equatorial Guinea, who finished runners-up in Group E.
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