Hosts open African Nations Cup with win

Tunisia 2 Rwanda 1

Hosts Tunisia overcame plucky Rwanda in the opening game of the African Nations Cup as both sides finished the game with 10 men.

Rwanda gave one of the pre-tournament favourites a close game and Henriette Joao Elias scored their first-ever goal in the competition.

The hosts took a deserved lead after 25 minutes. Fed by a quick free-kick, Zied Jaziri, who plays for Turkish side Gazientspor, hammered the ball home at the near post.

Rwanda took just six minutes to hit back, striker Joao Elias - who plays in Belgium for Kortrijk - hit a wonderful left-foot free-kick that gave Ali Boumnijel no chance.

Eleven minutes into the second half Abdul Sibomana found the only way to stop a surging Jaziri run was a rugby tackle, leaving referee Evehe Divine little choice but to show him a second yellow card.

Jaziri made sure Rwanda were punished twice as slack marking allowed him to find Brazil-born Francileudo dos Santos with the free-kick and he made no mistake.

As the chaos continued, the referee evened things up two minutes later, showing Slim Ben Achour a second yellow for diving.