Ivory Coast and Ghana sail into semis

Algeria was the top side in the tournament according to the Fifa rankings, but it could not live with the attacking threat posed by Ivory Coast in an Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal that only came to life in the second half.

After a quiet opening to the match, Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier hit the post with a 23rd minute header.

Moments later the Elephants went ahead when Wilfried Bony broke the Algerian back line to connect with Max Gradel’s cross. Algeria protested to the linesman, but TV replays showed the new 35 million euro man for Manchester City to be clearly onside when he started his darting run.

In the second half, an Ivory Coast defensive mix-up in the 52nd minute gave Hilal Soudani the freedom of the box to lash an equalizer past Sylvain Gbohouo from eight yards. Suddenly Algeria looked more of a threat as the game began to open up.

In the 58th minute, a probing run from Sofiane Feghouli was stopped in the Ivory Coast box by a well-timed tackle from Siaka Tiene, and then on 65 minutes, Soudani fired straight at Gbohouo from close range when it looked easier to score.

In Ivory Coast’s next attack, Bony went down in the box under pressure from Carl Medjani while trying to get on the end of a center, but referee Bakary Gassama waved away his appeals for a penalty.

Bony was not to be denied for long, however, as he rose to meet a Yaya Toure free-kick moments later and send a glancing header over Rais M’Bolhi in the Algerian goal for 2-1.

Algeria’s French coach Christian Gourcuff threw on strikers Ishak Belfodil and Islam Slimaniin in the 73rd minute while removing midfielder Riyad Mahrez and the dangerous Soudani, and the attacking substitutions almost reaped dividends.

With ten minutes left on the clock, Slimani connected with a Feghouli cross but saw his effort deflected wide.

Time was running out for Algeria to rescue the tie. Full back Faouzi Ghoulam saw his bending 30-yard free-kick turned around the post by Gbohouo at full stretch in the 85th minute, but with the Desert Warriors committing everything to attack, Ivory Coast could mount one final break.

In the 93rd minute, substitute Junior Tallo raced clear from the halfway line and, ignoring the option of running down the clock by the corner flag, played a square pass to Gervinho, who slotted into the bottom left corner.

Algeria barely had time to restart the game before the referee blew for full time.

Atsu brace sends Ghana into semis, Guinea exit winless

In the early game, African football powerhouses Ghana reached the semi-finals for the fifth tournament in a row after over-powering ten-man Guinea, 3-0.

Ghana's England-based contingent did the damage, with Chelsea winger Christian Atsu's brace punctuated by a goal from Crystal Palace striker Kwesi Appiah.

Guinea was only in the quarterfinals because it won a draw of lots against Mali after both drew all three Group D games 1-1, and it was never in the game against Ghana.

The Black Stars took the lead after just four minutes. Andre Ayew flicked a backheel across the face of the Guinea goal to Christian Atsu, who had a simple tap-in.

Ghana doubled its advantage on the stroke of half-time when a mis-hit clearance from Guinea central defender Baissama Sankoh fell kindly for Kwesi Appiah, who slid the ball under Naby Yattara in the opposition goal.

Things got worse for Guinea in the 61st minute, as Atsu scored his second. The Chelsea player - currently on loan at Everton - collected the ball on the right, cut inside and unleashed a dipping, bending shot over the reach of Yattara.

Guinea ended the game with ten men after Yattara saw red in the 94th minute for his wreckless challenge on Asamoah Gyan just outside the area.

While former Chelsea manager Avram Grant keeps Ghana's hope of winning a first continental title since 1982 alive, Guinea head home without winning a single game.

Ghana will now face hosts Equatorial Guinea on February 5, a day after Ivory Coast take on DR Congo in the first semifinal.

pwh/apc (dpa, AFP)