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Africa Cup of Nations

January 23, 2015

For the second game running South Africa let a one-goal lead slip as Senegal salvaged a 1-1 draw in the Africa Cup of Nations on Friday. Tournament favorite Algeria was undone by a late strike from Ghana's Asamoah Gyan.

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Fußball African Cup of Nations Ghana gegen Algerien
Image: Reuters/Mike Hutchings

A towering Kara Mbodji header from a 60th minute set piece rescued the point which put Senegal clear at the top of Group C on a night of spurned chances in Equatorial Guinea.

Bafana Bafana had led 1-0 in their opening match against Algeria, only to lose 3-1. Ephraim Mashaba’s men must have been suffering déjà vu when Oupa Manyisa’s goal soon after the restart was cancelled out 15 minutes later by KRC Genk defender Mbodji.

The game opened up in the final half hour but neither side could force a winner despite chances being created at both ends of the pitch.

South Africa picked up their first point of the tournament but remained bottom of the group and facing an uphill challenge to reach the knockout phase.

Despite his side sitting top, Senegal coach Alain Giresse refused to be drawn on the outcome of the pool.

"Nothing is settled. The final day will be fatal. That shows how difficult a group this is," said the former France midfielder and coach.

Gyan fires late Ghana winner

In the early Group C game on Friday, Asamoah Gyan scored for the sixth game running to steal all three points for Ghana in its 1-0 win over Algeria.

Afrikan Cup 2015 Ghana v Algeria
Gyan extended a hot scoring streak with his late strikeImage: Getty Images/AFP/C. de Souza

The Abu Dhabi-based forward showed no ill affects from a recent bout of malaria when latching on to a desperate injury-time long ball to fire past Rais Mbolhi in the Algerian goal.

Algeria did not force a single corner or shot on target during the match and Gyan's late winner was just reward for Ghana’s former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, who paid tribute to Gyan at the end.

"He is a great player but also a great personality. But it's not just the victory of one player. It's the victory of a whole team," said Grant.

Algeria - which gave Germany arguably its toughest game en route to the 2014 World Cup final - never got out of first gear. FC Augsburg defender Abdul Rahman Baba enjoyed a quiet night at left back for Ghana.

Both sides threw on attacking substitutes in attempting to force a winner and it was Gyan who provided the single highlight of a drab game played in Mongomo on the Gabon border.

Pwh (AP, AFP, Reuters)