ALEXANDRIA (Egypt), Jan 23: Tunisia made a bright start to their African Nations Cup defence by beating Zambia 4-1 but there was gloom for the 2010 World Cup hosts as South Africa slumped to a 2-0 defeat by Guinea on Sunday.

Brazilian-born striker Francileudo Dos Santos got the tournament’s second hat-trick, after Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, turning around a Group C opener Tunisia had started badly.

A defensive blunder allowed Zambia’s James Chamanga to race through and tap into an empty net after just nine minutes.

Tunisia, physically stronger and slicker in their passing, shrugged off the setback and were again rewarded for their decision to give Dos Santos a Tunisian passport.

The Brazilian was fast-tracked into his new citizenship just in time for the 2004 finals and his four goals played a big part in Tunisia’s triumph on home soil.

Two years on, the switch paid further dividends as he glanced home a superb headed equaliser and poached two more to secure a win in which captain Riadh Bouazizi also scored.

“Zambia’s early goal shook us up a bit,” Tunisia’s French coach Roger Lemerre said. “But the important thing is that Tunisia gave nothing away and just kept on playing their game.”

The African champions were later joined on three points by Guinea after they scored two late goals to defeat a distinctly flat South Africa side in a scrappy game.

Both goals came from substitutes, with Sambegou Bangoura stooping to head in a cross on 78 minutes and Ousmane Bangoura crashing home the second from just inside the area in the 88th.

South Africa’s caretaker coach Ted Dumitru said: “We were totally exposed. Our team thought that Guinea were not a serious team — and they were made to pay the penalty.”—AFP