Riyad Mahrez scored a brilliant solo goal as AFCON defending champions Algeria were held to a 2-2 draw by Zimbabwe.

The gifted City playmaker received a long cross-field ball from the left, flicked it over his head with his heel before turning his marker inside out and drilling a low right-foot shot past the Zimbabwean keeper.

It was the sort of stunning ingenuity we have come to expect from our gifted Algerian.

The goal put the Desert Foxes 2-0 up at the National Sport Stadium with Montpellier striker Andy Delort opening the scoring four minutes earlier.

But Zimbabwe fought back with a goal just before the break through Knowledge Musona and levelled on 82 minutes through Prince Dube to earn a point.

Algeria still top the Group H table comfortably and realistically will qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations if they can secure one more win from their remaining two games.

It was Mahrez’s 19th international goal from 62 caps.

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STEFFEN SOLID IN USA ROMP

Zack Steffen won his 19th cap for the USA as they thrashed Panama 6-2 in a friendly.

The game, played in Austria, saw the States fall behind before racing into a 3-1 lead with 26 minutes played.

Panama pulled one back on 79 but three goals in the last 10 minutes secured a handsome win for the Americans with Steffen confident and commanding throughout.

One of the US scorers will have interested City fans - 18 year-old Giovanni Reyna is the son of former City midfielder Claudio Reyna.