Algeria will face either Ivory Coast or Mali in the Africa Cup of Nations last eight after seeing off Guinea in comfortable fashion.
Algeria 3-0 Guinea
Riyad Mahrez scored a wonderful goal as Algeria underlined their status as one of the favourites for the Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-0 win over Guinea which booked their place in the quarter-finals.
The Manchester City winger’s superb control and composed finish in the 57th minute put his side two goals up after Youcef Belaili’s 24th-minute opener in Cairo.
And Algeria sealed their progression as substitute Adam Ounas added a late third.
Djamel Belmadi’s side had cruised through group stages without dropping a point or conceding a goal and they were untroubled as they set up a last-eight meeting with Mali or Ivory Coast.
Belaili set them on their way, bursting into the area from the left and sliding a low finish into the far corner from a tight angle.
Mahrez’s goal was the pick of the bunch as Ismael Bennacer’s deep cross from the left picked him out on the far edge of the area.
The Premier League star’s superb first touch took him past his marker and into the area and with his second he fired a low left-footed shot into the corner.
Guinea, without key player Naby Keita because of a thigh injury, had no answer and their hopes were killed off in the 82nd minute following a swift Algeria break.
Ounas had only been on the pitch five minutes when he turned home Youcef Atal’s low ball into the area for Algeria’s third.
Madagascar 2-2 DR Congo (Madagascar won 4-2 on penalties)
Yannick Bolasie missed from the spot as Africa Cup of Nations debutants Madagascar beat DR Congo in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to reach the quarter-finals.
Marcel Tisserand had already skied his attempt over the bar when Bolasie followed suit to hand the Barea a 4-2 shoot-out victory in Alexandria, with the game having finished 2-2 after extra time.
Madagascar took a ninth-minute lead in spectacular style when wide man Ibrahim Amada lashed home a swerving drive past keeper Matampi Ngumbi from the edge of the penalty area, only for Cedric Bakambu to level within 12 minutes.
The Barea who regained the lead with 13 minutes remaining courtesy of Faneva Andriatsima’s diving header.
However, Chancel Mbemba restored parity with a bullet header in the final minute of normal time to take the tie to an extra 30 minutes which the Leopards dominated, but they were unable to make the pressure tell and it was they who wilted when penalties arrived.
