(Corrects rating to 3-1)
DOUALA, Cameroon (Reuters) – Nicolas Pepe scored an excellent solo purpose as Ivory Coast beat Algeria 3-1 to ship the defending champions crashing out of the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Thursday following a disastrous Group E marketing campaign.
Algeria’s 35-game unbeaten run was ended by Equatorial Guinea in a surprising upset of their final match, they usually have been outplayed once more by the spectacular Ivorians, who might need had extra targets with higher ending.
Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare additionally scored to seal high spot within the pool with seven factors. They are joined within the second spherical by Equatorial Guinea (six factors), whose 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone eradicated the latter.
Riyad Mahrez missed a penalty for Algeria, however Sofiane Bendebka grabbed a comfort as historical past repeated itself.
When they gained their solely different Cup of Nations title in 1990, Algeria additionally exited within the first spherical of the subsequent match after a 3-0 loss to the Ivorians, who went on to raise the trophy.
(Reporting by Nick Said, modifying by Ed Osmond)
