Mighty Ivorians next for Nations Cup co-hosts

QUARTER-FINALSPlaying todayZambia vs Sudan 17:00 SS4, 9Ivory Coast vs Eq. Guinea 20:30 SS4, 9MALABOEquatorial Guinea’s lower-league footballers and little-known journeymen will try and upset a side containing household names like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure at the African Nations Cup on Saturday.The co-hosts’s unlikely collection of players, some born and raised in Spain with parents from the African country and others also foreign-born but naturalised, have already surpassed their wildest expectations by reaching the quarter-finals.On Saturday they attempt to produce an even bigger shock by eliminating the powerful Ivory Coast who won all three of their group games without conceding a goal.“I’ve never viewed us as underdogs,” Equatorial Guinea’s Brazilian coach Gilson Paulo told Reuters. “Perhaps people in the media see us as underdogs but we aim to go as far as possible.”In other matches co-hosts Gabon, spearheaded by French-based striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his distinctive Mohican hairstyle, face Seydou Keita’s Mali and with home backing would appear to be favourites to go through.Vibrant and attack-minded Zambia meet Sudan, another surprise package, while Ghana, joint favourites alongside the Ivorians, take on dangerous Tunisia in two ties difficult to predict.The tournament, which could have turned into a damp squib after Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and Egypt failed to qualify, has become one of the best in recent years, serving up plentiful helpings of drama and last-minute goals.

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Mighty Ivorians next for Nations Cup co-hosts