FRANCEVILLE: Riyad Mahrez scored twice but Algeria could only draw with outsiders Zimbabwe while Senegal got the first win of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.

Mahrez put Algeria ahead in in the opening match of a Group B double bill in Franceville but then needed to score a late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw for one of the tournament favourites.

Zimbabwe haven’t played at the African Cup in over a decade, had their buildup marred by a player strike over unpaid wages and bonuses, and then had to play their opening game in a makeshift team uniform after kits for the tournament didn’t arrive out in Franceville in time for the game.

Senegal, another fancied side thanks to their status as the top-ranked African team in the FIFA rankings, saw Liverpool winger Sadio Mane set them on their way to a 2-0 victory against Tunisia.

Senegal’s win was as much down to the wastefulness of their opponents as anything else as Tunisia squandered chance after chance in a dominant second half performance.

Published in Dawn January 17th, 2017