A football supporter's guide to CAN 2017: Day 2

Here are five things we learned and five things you need to know from Day 2 at CAN 2017.

The match between Algeria and Zimbabwe ended in a draw 2-2, on 15 January in Franceville. Pierre René-Worms/RFI

1- Are they really mad for football?

The partisan fans sing, dance and make a lot of noise throughout the games but what about the locals? Don’t they want to come out and enjoy the fest? Franceville’s revamped arena was barely half full for the opening games in Group B on day two. Where do the people go?

2- Don’t get tagged favourites.

Algeria – who are one of the teams so deemed - boast the African player of the year, Riyad Mahrez, in their ranks. And the 25-year-old looked every inch the top man after 12 minutes as he picked up the ball on the right, surged into the penalty area and as Zimbabwe defender Costa Nhamoinesu came to him, caressed the ball with his left foot into the net. After that it went downhill for Algeria who shipped two goals only equalizing with nine minutes remaining, courtesy of Mr Mahrez.

3- It really is a 90 minute match.

Or, as we so often hear, it’s a game of two halves. After going behind to a goal from Riyad Mahrez. Zimbabwe stormed back. Kudakwashe Mahachi levelled after 17 minutes and Nyasha Mushekwi slotted in a penalty on the half hour. 2-1 at half-time. But the problem for Zimbabwe was they looked exhausted in the second half. They had a couple of chances to go 3-1 up most notably in the 80th minute when Cuthbert Malajila only had Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi to beat. He didn’t and Mahrez slotted in Algeria’s second less than a minute later. Zimbabwe just about held on for the 2-2 draw.

4- Ghosts busted.

Senegal skipper Cheikhou Kouyaté said on the eve of their opening Group B match against Tunisia that his side was haunted by their abject campaigns at the 2013 and 2015 Cup of Nations and wanted to atone for those appalling performances. On both occasions they were eliminated after the three matches of the group stages. Both times Senegal were considered favourites for the crown. It didn’t happen for them. Well, Senegal appear to be on the road to redemption following their 2-0 victory over Tunisia in Franceville on day two. Sadio Mane and Kara Mbodj were the heroes for the west Africans.

5- Cissé’s cool runnings.

With his shock of dreadlocks, the Senegal coach could cut it with any lion of Judah. He’s also got a smart line in calm. Questioned on Tunisian dominance in the second-half of Senegal’s opening Group B game in Franceville, Cissé said: "We were 2-0 up. We defended as a group. The thing about sport at a high level is to win and not just to dominate."