Riyad Mahrez double sees Algeria draw with Zimbabwe – Africa Cup of Nations 2017

Group B

Algeria 2-2 Zimbabwe

Riyad Mahrez scored twice, including a late equaliser, as Algeria were held to a 2-2 draw by Zimbabwe in Group B on day two of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mahrez, the Leicester City winger, gave Algeria a 13th-minute lead with a curling shot and he salvaged a point for Algeria with his second the eight minutes from time after Zimbabwe had turned the game around.

Algeria twice hit the woodwork before levelling, first through a Ramy Bensebaini header and then when Zimbabwe defender Elisha Muroiwa narrowly avoided an own goal after his sliced clearance.

Kuda Mahachi made it 1-1 just four minutes after Mahrez’s opening goal, and Nyasha Mushekwi’s penalty on 30 minutes put Zimbabwe ahead. Algeria surged forward in the last 10 minutes and their efforts paid off when Mahrez’s 82nd minute long-range strike found it’s way past goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva.

The Desert Foxes could have snatched victory, when the Zimbabwe goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva came flying out and left his goal wide open but Yacine Brahimi could not take advantage, as Zimbabwe, making their first appearance at the tournament finals since 2006, held on for the draw.

The result mirrors that of hosts Gabon who were surprisingly held 1-1 by outsiders and tournament debutants Guinea-Bissau yesterday.