Lamine Camara scored twice as defending champion Senegal started the Africa Cup of Nations with a comfortable 3-0 win over Gambia on Monday.
Camara’s second strike was arguably the goal of the tournament so far, a shot inside the right top corner from around 20 metres (yards) in the 86th after being set up by Iliman Ndiaye.
Sadio Mané, who is hoping to lead the country to a second straight title, got his team off to a good start in the fourth minute when he set up Pape Gueye for the opener.
Gambia had already endured an ordeal to reach the competition when the team’s airplane experienced a sudden loss of oxygen and its task was made even harder in first-half injury time when Ebou Adams was sent off for catching Camara at the back of his heel. It was the first red card of the tournament.
Camara scored his first goal early in the second half with a low strike inside the far post after making a run into the area.
“It’s too early to speak about the trophy. It’s important to take it game by game,” Mané said.
Five-time champion Cameroon was held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Guinea in the other Group C game.
The “Indomitable Lions” suffered an early setback when Mohamed Bayo capitalised on a defensive mistake and fired the ball through Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa’s legs in the 10th minute.
Guinea, which has never won the tournament, showed no fear of its illustrious opponent and pushed for more, despite the absence of star player Serhou Guirassy, whose fitness evidently remained a concern after taking a knock in a warmup win over Nigeria.
However, Guinea forward Francois Kamano became the second player to be sent off in the tournament in first-half injury time for connecting with the back of Frank Magri’s ankle.
Magri answered with the equaliser in the 51st, headed in from close range from Georges-Kevin Nkoudou’s cross.
But the “National Elephants” held on with goalkeeper Ibrahim Koné earning huge cheers for a late double-save.
