ABIDJAN – Senegal coach Aliou Cisse was full of praise for the young Lamine Camara, who scored a stunning brace as the team began their defence of the Africa Cup of Nations title with a 3-0 win over Gambia on Jan 15.

Fellow heavyweights Cameroon and Algeria, however, were both held in their opening matches.

Sadio Mane’s Senegal are hoping to retain the trophy they won in Cameroon in 2022 and were too strong for their Gambian neighbours, who played the whole second half with 10 men.

“Lamine Camara is a young player, and his time has come,” said Cisse of the 20-year-old attacking midfielder who plays for French Ligue 1 side Metz.

“He scored two goals against Gambia and gave a distinguished performance on the field. The young player must be trusted and developed.”

On the win, he added: “I am very satisfied with the performance of the players, especially since things were difficult given the climatic conditions and heat that we faced.

“We will continue to work hard on a few things that need to be rectified but overall, I am very happy with this victory.”

Marseille midfielder Pape Gueye swept home an assist by Mane to give the Lions of Teranga the lead inside four minutes in the Ivorian capital Yamoussoukro.

Gambia endured a troubled build-up to the tournament, boycotting a training session over an unpaid qualification bonus before their flight to the Ivory Coast was forced to turn around just nine minutes after take-off due to technical problems.

Quarter-finalists in 2022, they had midfielder Ebou Adams sent off for a studs-up challenge just before the break.

Senegal effectively killed off the game early in the second half when Camara, the African Young Player of the Year, drilled a low shot into the far corner.

He then completed the victory with an early contender for goal of the tournament in the 86th minute, expertly bending a shot into the top corner from just outside the box.

Senegal will likely face a tougher assignment in their next Group C match, when they face five-time winners Cameroon.

The Indomitable Lions, whose last title was in 2017, had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with 10-man Guinea in the second game of the day in Yamoussoukro, with Frank Magri equalising for Cameroon early in the second half.

Guinea had taken an early lead through Mohamed Bayo, who was leading their attack in the absence of the injured Serhou Guirassy, the striker enjoying a fine season in Germany with VfB Stuttgart.

Algeria, who won the title in 2019, then became the latest major nation to fail to win their opening game after Cameroon, Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana, as they were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Angola in Bouake.

Baghdad Bounedjah gave Algeria the lead after 18 minutes, but Angola equalised through a Mabululu penalty midway through the second half in the Group D game.

The matches on Jan 15 were played out before swathes of empty seats, which have quickly become a source of embarrassment for tournament organisers.

Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Beugre Mambe said measures would be taken to try to ensure full stadiums, without revealing details. AFP