A thundering late strike from Mejdi Traoui has rescued a point for Tunisia in its 2-2 draw with Senegal in Tamale this evening.

It was a point dropped for the Senegalese who needed a host of chances to take a 2-1 lead but then failed to keep them coming after the go-ahead goal.

Traoui’s swerving strike left Tony Sylva standing in the Senegal goal as he hit the ball from outside the area under plenty of defensive pressure.

The game continued the amazing action and standard of goals at this edition of the Cup of Nations.

Issam Jemaa’s opener for Tunisia came from the tightest of angles while Traoui’s thunderbolt came under considerable defensive pressure from outside the area.

But it was Tunisia who had every right to go in unhappy at half time after Senegal’s Moustafa Sall equalised with the last kick of the first half.

After exchanging early attacking periods in the opening ten minutes and meeting packed defensive lines, it was only ever going to be a precision strike like Jemaa‘s that would break the deadlock.

However with the opening period petering out it was a costly error from Tunisia captain Radhi Jaidi that put the ball into Sall’s path.

The late goal gave Senegal all the momentum at the start of the second half.

Diomansy Kamara’s strikers’ instincts got the better of him with one opportunity as he blazed away for goal despite a tee-up of an open Sall beckoning.

But it was those predatory instincts that made the difference as Kamara put his foot to a shot to clear a goal-mouth scramble and find the back of the net.

After Traoui’s late strike neither side took the initiative to go on and open its Cup of Nations account with three points.

Tunisia will have plenty to think about before the next match, with Traoui and fellow striker Dos Santos both picking up yellow cards for dives. Dos Santos’ particularly incriminating as he went to ground in the opposite direction of any momentum the minimal contact he received would have pushed him.

The crowd in Tamale looked unimpressive, with the stadium’s size blamed by the local pundits for the poor turnout with the proximity of the competing teams also mentioned.