Ivory Coast 1 Mali 0: Zaha books Algeria showdown

Ivory Coast will meet Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations last eight thanks to a winner from Wilfried Zaha against Mali.

Crystal Palace and Ivory Coast winger Wilfried Zaha scored in the 76th minute of the game.

Ivory Coast reached the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday as Wilfried Zaha led it to a 1-0 win over Mali.

The Crystal Palace winger, a reported transfer target for Arsenal, struck with 14 minutes of regulation time remaining after his side had survived some heavy pressure during the first half.

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Two-time champion Ivory Coast will meet Algeria in the last eight after it dispatched Guinea 3-0 in Cairo on Sunday.

Hamari Traore blasted over after being backheeled into a good position by Moussa Marega, as Mali started the stronger of the teams.

Abdoulaye Diaby's free-kick looped goalwards and had to be tipped over by Sylvain Gbohouo, while Marega twice came close before the break as Ivory Coast struggled to get a foothold.

It improved after the break, though, and should have taken the lead 67 minutes in when Jonathan Kodjia could only find the side-netting after goalkeeper Djigui Diarra had slipped.

Zaha made no such mistake nine minutes later, though, guiding a finish past Diarra after Kodjia glanced on a long kick up the field and Mali's defence was left in disarray.

Mali, which has now failed to win any of its five meetings with Ivory Coast, pushed for a late leveller but Gbohouo made a fine stoppage-time save to keep out a fierce strike from Kalifa Coulibaly.