Defending champions Algeria crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-1 defeat against Ivory Coast in Douala.
Needing a win to stay alive, Algeria trailed by two goals at the break after Franke Kessie capped off a fine move and Ibrahim Sangare headed home.
Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe put the Ivorians 3-0 up before Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez hit a penalty against the post.
Algeria, for whom Sofiane Bendebka scored a late consolation, exit bottom of Group E after a torrid campaign.
Their departure from the competition is in marked contrast to their entry, travelling to Cameroon on a 34-match unbeaten run and looking to surpass Italy’s all-time record of 37.
The Algerians had drawn 0-0 with Sierra Leone before a 1-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea, and leave with just one point from three games – but did at least finally get on the scoresheet in Cameroon when substitute Bendebka’s late goal inspired a brief rally.
Equatorial Guinea claimed a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone to book their passage to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Equatorial Guinea worked a free kick on the right, and shifted play to the edge of the box where Ganet was on hand to smash the ball home on 38 minutes.
Equatorial Guinea advanced from Group E in second place, behind Ivory Coast. The Elephants topped the group to line up a mouth-watering last-16 match with Egypt, scheduled for Douala on Wednesday, 26 January.
Round of 16
The serious things begin. The matches of the eighth finals of the African Cup of Nations are known and have given rise to exciting clashes as the match Egypt-Ivory Coast and also Nigeria-Tunisia.
Sunday, January 23
- Burkina Faso – Gabon (17:00)
- Nigeria – Tunisia (20:00)
Monday January 24th
- Guinea – Gambia (17:00)
- Cameroon – Comoros (8:00 pm)
Tuesday January 25th
- Senegal – Cape Verde (17:00)
- Morocco – Malawi (20:00)
Wednesday January 26th
- Ivory Coast – Egypt (17:00)
- Mali – Equatorial Guinea (20:00)
