Burkina Faso had never beaten their West African neighbours in eight previous encounters and that trend looked set to continue when, with just 16 minutes played, Salomon Kalou netted the match’s opening goal. An early Solomon Kalou strike and a late Bakary Kone own goal propelled Ivory Coast to a 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso and secured a quarterfinal berth.

With eight minutes left to salvage something, it was lights out for the Stallions when Bakary Kone tried to clear a free kick floated into in the box but only succeeded in nodding the ball over his keeper’s reach for an own-goal.

The match would therefore end 2-0 in favour of the Elephants, who did not display the kind of football which they are expected to.

Ivory Coast may have secured their ticket to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals but Wednesday's win over Burkina Faso came at a price, with injury to influential striker Salomon Kalou.

The Chelsea forward had to come off in the 65th minute of the 2-0 Group B match in Malabo, clutching his thigh.

And Ivory Coast manager Francois Zahoui fears the worst.

"This is upsetting," said the manager. "He's been a pivotal player for us since we began our warm-up matches. He scores goal and sets up goals and that's why it's going to penalise us.
We're worried that he's suffered a strain or a tear because he pulled up so suddenly. We'll find out more after a scan,” Zahoui added.

In an earlier Group B match, Sudan came from behind twice against the Palanca Negras of Angola to give them hope ahead of the final group match against Burkina Faso on Monday, January 30.

Mohamed Bashir cancelled goals from Manucho twice as the Falcons of Jediane ended a 36-year goal drought at the AFCON finals.

"We started by attacking because to continue in this competition we had to win,” Mohamed Abdalla, the Coach of Sudan told AFP. "I'm happy that twice we were able to equalise. This game gives us huge motivation for our next one," he noted.

Group B is currently led by Ivory Coast with six points, followed by Angola with four, then Sudan with one point, while Burkina Faso are still looking for their first point in the tournament.

Sudan have to beat Burkina Faso in Bata on January 30 and cross their fingers for Angola to lose against the Ivory Coast to even stand a chance of qualifying through goal difference.