Image source, Getty Images

Senegal coach Alain Giresse played more than 500 games for Girondins Bordeaux and almost 100 for Olympique de Marseille.

It seems he was a bit of a player because he is best known for playing his part in a dynamic French midfield which included Michel Platini to reach the semi-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Senegal seem very Sam Allardyce (circa 2005) in that they love a pump into the box. No more of that from Big Sam these days (unless he's desperate) and the latest Senegalese lob into the box is powered at goal by Kara Mbodj but the cross bar denies him. A bullet header. Passing atrocious in this one, heading to the fore.

In comes the delivery after that hatchet job on Atsu and Ghana centre-back Jonathan Mensah finds himself between markers to head over from 12 yards. Another opening. Defending questionable all over the pitch in this one. Got too much on that one.

Christian Atsu may have just been wishing for a quiet moment or two after that glaring miss, instead he is completely wiped out by Lokomotiv Moscow's Dame N'Doye. He is late and then there is this. An hour after the ball had gone. That's a yellow.

Jordan Ayew - younger brother of goalscorer Andre - bursts from midfield and feeds Christian Atsu, one on one, left footed, 14 yards out...wide. A glorious opening for Atsu. He opened his body up to curl it around the goalkeeper. That he achieved, but he's pushed it too wide.

A solid and somewhat direct response from Alain Giresse's side. Papy Djilobodji heads a corner high over the bar while Ghana keeper Brimah Razak is still trying to break the world record for a kick out of his hands. I think he believes he can score...absolutely smashing them upfield.

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Make that 12 games. And they now have to score...

BBC Sport's Matthew Kenyon in Mongomo: Ghana players off the bench with ecstatic scenes as Andre Ayew slots home the penalty to put the Black Stars in front! Ghana flags waving wildly on the far side of the stadium - an early goal... more to come from this most anticipated match I think...

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One of the star men of this tournament perhaps? Andre Ayew takes a penalty like a man with swagger. Clipped down the middle, goalkeeper dives the wrong way and it's simplistic.

Stone wall penalty and it's the man on loan at Everton - Christian Atsu who is felled in the box. He races onto a through ball and it looks over hit but the Senegal goalkeeper is glued to his line...come out son...come out...he does but it's too late and when he gets to Atsu he brings him down as the ball is flicked past him. No question, Ghana will have a golden chance.

Image source, AP

Dame N'Doye in the Senegal midfield pounces on a loose header and gets his head up but can't execute a pass to release Mame Biram Diouf. A good ball and he was away. Lamine Sane at the back for Senegal seems to be chewing - that's surely dangerous and Ghana, generally, have showed little so far.

BBC Sport's Matthew Kenyon from Mongomo: "As we get underway there are still significant queues of people outside the stadium and inside the stadium still to take their seats. Having said that, I don't think there's enough seats for them all either. But good atmosphere in the ground for this - the start of the best group at the 2015 Afcon!"

A first sight of goal but Mame Biram Diouf's touch is not deadly and he can't bring a zipped long ball under his spell. This surface looks very bouncy and it was a tough take. A solid start by Senegal and a cross from the right has to be well handled by Brimah Razak in the Ghana goal.

When I think Senegal I think El Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Papa Bouba Diop - brilliantly nicknamed 'the wardrobe'.

This west-coast African country shot to football prominence when they humbled holders France in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup.

They reached the Afcon final in the same year but since then it has been fairly dismal fare - a quarter-final appearance at this competition in 2004 is clustered between a number of first-round exits.

Whack. Brimah Razakin the Ghana goal lampoons a ball upfield - it's kicked out of his hands - and the bounce doesn't happen until the opposing 18-yard box. It bounces high and his opposite number has to leap to catch. He must have lead in his boots.

Ghana all in white, Senegal all in green. The latter are nicknamed the Lions of Teranga and they go direct from the off but it's all under control at the back for the Black Stars.

As has become customary in the tournament, a moment of silence is observed before kick-off for victims of the Ebola Virus that has spread through parts of west Africa.

These two nations have been relatively unscathed.

Ghana: Brimah, Afful, Rahman, Mohammed, Mensah, Amartey, Rabiu, Badu, Atsu, A Andre, J Ayew

Senegal: Coundoul, Djilobodji, Sané, Kara Mbodji, Souaré, Diop, Gueye, Badji, Kouyaté, N'Doye, Diouf.

Plenty of recognisable faces then: Christian Atsu is at Everton, Mame Biram Diouf at Stoke City and Cheikhou Kouyaté is of course a West Ham United player.

National anthems, flags, heads bowed, arms across chests, sun in the sky and lots of colour everywhere you look right now...