Mali defeated Malawi 3-1 in their 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Group A encounter in Cabinda on Monday, but the result was not enough to see the West Africans through to the quarterfinals.
Angola and Algeria's tame goalless draw in the group's other game ensured they would both advance to the next round, no matter what Mali did.
It will be bitterly disappointing for Stephen Keshi's side, who entered this tournament as many people's "Dark Horses" but ultimately paid the price for their 1-0 loss to the Algerians in their second pool match.
Malawi just needed a draw to get through, but were rocked by two early strikes from Fredi Kanoute and Seydou Keita.
In a disastrous start for Malawi, Mali were ahead inside the first 37 seconds. Goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi fluffed a clearance straight into the path of Kanoute, who coolly volleyed the ball home from all of 35 yards.
As if that start wasn't bad enough, the Malawians went another goal down inside three minutes when Keita crashed home a brilliant free kick, also from the 35-yard mark. This time Sanudi had no chance as the ball nestled in the top corner.
Davie Banda put a shot wide for The Flames as they finally registered a chance, while Keita made two more efforts at the other end, one off target and the other a comfortable save for Sanudi.
Esau Kanyenda fired straight at Mali keeper Mahamadou Sidibe, but the best chance of the remainder of the half fell to Mali striker Mamadou Bagayoko. He had so much time and space he could have controlled the cross and looked to beat Sanudi with a shot, but with the goal at his mercy he put a header wide.
Instead of pushing the score to 3-0 up, Mali were pegged back to 2-1 just before the one-hour mark as big striker Russel Mwafulirwa finally netted after a massive goalmouth scramble in which Sidibe twice saved goal-bound shots.
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Sanudi made a fine save from Keita soon afterwards, having to be on his toes with a swirling rocket from the Barcelona midfielder.
Mali were denied a stonewall penalty when Kanyenda uprooted Keita in the penalty area with a lunge that he was lucky did not earn him a red card. In the end the referee took no action at all, much to the amazement of even the Malawians, one suspects.
Bagayoko wasted a number of good shooting opportunities by putting them in the stands as Mali tried to restore their two-goal lead.
Malawi should have drawn level when Mwafulirwa put a header over from two yards out with the goal at his mercy. It was an extraordinary miss, with Sidibe beaten as the striker headed the ball down into the ground and over the top with nothing in front of him.
Instead it fell to Bagayoko to score the game's fourth goal as he headed home Modibo Maiga's cross, with Malawian defenders scarce as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Sidibe made an excellent save to keep out a close-range shot from Robert Ngambi, while Mwafulirwa went agonisingly close again in the dying seconds.
