After an opening day that gave fans no goals to cheer, the goals finally started coming down this evening as the 29^th Africa Cup of Nations holding in South Africa entered its second day.

Five goals were witnessed, with Ghana being held to a 2-2 draw by under dogs DR Congo in the opening Group B match at Port Elizabeth while Mali out-struggled less fancied Niger by a lone goal in the second match.

Emmanuel Agyeman Badu gave the Black Stars the lead, and scored the first goal of the tournament, in the 40th minute when he tapped home after a well-worked move involving Kwadwo Asamoah.

Juventus star Asamoah doubled Ghana’s lead four minutes after half-time when he headed home a corner taken by Mubarak Wakaso.

However, skipper Tresor Mputu pulled a goal back for the Congolese in the 53rd minute after being put through by Cedric Makiadi.

Dieumerci Mbokani drew the Congolese level in the 68th minute by converting a penalty kick after he was fouled by Jerry Akaminko.

“This match was a great advertisement for African football,” said DR Congo coach Claude le Roy.

“I’m proud of my players. They have great quality and they showed it by coming back to a high-level competition like the Africa Cup after a seven-year absence.

“We deserved this result after all the problems we had and I hope that it will get the whole country behind the team now.”

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah said: “I knew this match would not be easy, but it was unfortunate we did not win our first game.

“We relaxed and we suffered from some tactical indiscipline which we must correct in our next game.”

The second match which just ended saw Mali shooting to the top of the group by recording the tournament’s first win via a second half strike by skipper Seydou Keita.

Nigeria will taste action tomorrow against Burkina Faso.

•Photo, courtesy MTN Football, shows Ghana’s Kwadwo Asamoah scoring the second goal of the tournament.

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