Ivory Coast and Ghana on course

Zambia, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Ghana appear the likely winners of the 2012 Cup of Nations quarter-finals across central Africa this weekend.

The football feast begins tomorrow with two fixtures in Equatorial Guinea – Zambia vs Sudan in mainland port city Bata followed by the co-hosts and Ivory Coast in island capital Malabo.

Gabon stages both Sunday showdowns with the co-hosts playing Mali in Libreville before Ghana tackle Tunisia in Franceville.

Ghana have won the biennial African showpiece four times and Ivory Coast, Sudan and Tunisia once, Zambia and Mali were runners-up, Gabon reached the last eight once before and Equatorial Guinea never.

While title co-favourites Ivory Coast and Ghana are still on course for the February 12 final, Morocco and Senegal failed to match expectations that they would go far and were the biggest first-round casualties.

Equatorial Guinea provided the biggest surprise, defeating Libya and Senegal to secure a knockout place despite changing coaches less than three weeks before the tournament began, and lacking any big-name footballers.

Few pundits or bookmakers gave Sudan much chance either, but the Jediane Falcons have shown gradual improvement with a narrow loss to Ivory Coast followed by a draw with Angola and a victory over Burkina Faso.

Gabon, whose only previous last-eight appearance came 16 years ago, are revelling in the fanatical support of the central African nation, led by President Ali Bongo and the First Lady.

Host nations have won two of the last four Cup of Nations tournaments and another finished third so Gabon going all the way and lifting the trophy is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

However, Ivory Coast and Ghana have done nothing to suggest they cannot deliver a rematch of the 1992 final with the Elephants winning all three group games and the Black Stars two before drawing with Guinea.

Zambia want to raise the trophy in honour of the 1993 national squad, most of which was killed in a plane crash off the Gabonese coast, and superstitious coach Herve Renard wears the same white shirt on match-days.

Quarter-Finals

Tomorrow: Zambia vs Sudan; Ivory Coast vs Equatorial Guinea.

Sunday: Gabon vs Mali; Ghana vs Tunisia.