Ivory Coast qualified for the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations as Group D winners at the expense of Cameroon, thanks to a slim 1-0 victory in Malabo on Wednesday.
New Manchester City striker, Wilfried Bony, had the first chance of the match for Ivory Coast in the fifth minute when Max Gradel found him in the area, but he couldn’t divert home.
Herve Renard’s side continued to look threatening, especially from set pieces, before Maxim Choupo-Moting had Cameroon’s first dangerous attempt 10 minutes before the break.
The Schalke 04 man couldn’t beat Sylvain Gbohouo, though, and Ivory Coast broke the deadlock moments later.
Gradel was the man to find the net and he gave Cameroon keeper, Joseph Ondoa, no chance with a rasping drive from 25 yards.
Edgar Salli had two chances to equalise for Cameroon before the interval, but he couldn’t take either.
It wasn’t until the 65th minute in the second half that either keeper was really tested, with Bony drawing a sharp stop from Ondoa.
The tension made for a stop-start second period and it wasn’t until the 81st minute that Cameroon threatened when substitute Vincent Aboubakar sliced wide.
Moments later, Ivory Coast almost put the result beyond doubt through another substitute, Junior Tallo, who forced Ondoa into a diving save.
Elsewhere, Guinea and Mali will have to wait until lots are drawn to decide who will advance to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations because of Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw in Mongomo.
Five of the six Group D games finished as 1-1 draws, meaning that nothing separates Guinea and Mali in second and third place.
Mali were quickest out of the blocks in Mongomo on Wednesday, with Abdoulay Diaby firing a couple of efforts inside the opening five minutes wide.
Mali felt that they should have been awarded a penalty in the 12th minute when Fode Camara bundled over Mustapha Yatabare, but Guinea escaped both the spot kick and a red card for Camara.
It got even worse for Mali minutes later when a penalty was awarded against them following Salif Coulibaly’s handball and Kevin Constant cheekily dinked home from 12 yards to give Guinea the lead against the run of play.
Incredibly, Mali were then awarded a penalty of their own two minutes later after Issiaga Sylla’s handball, but Seydou Keita couldn’t match Constant as his weak effort was saved by Naby-Moussa Yattara.
After that end-to-end spell in the game, chances were limited for the rest of the first half, with Modibo Maiga denied a Mali equaliser by Yattara’s fingertip save.
The West Ham United man would pull the Eagles level shortly after half time, though, by heading home Diaby’s cross from close range.
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