Cabinda — In terms of African Nations Cup shocks, they did not come any bigger than this over the last decade as Algeria knocked out Cote d'Ivoire from the tournament in Angola.
While both sides are bound for the World Cup in South Africa later this year, Algeria's 3-2 triumph came against the hot favourites and a generation of the Ivorian players ordained to capture glory at continental level.
But Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure and the rest of the Elephants again limp home crestfallen, while Algeria celebrate their unlikely progress to the last four of a tournament they started in horrendous fashion. There was little resemblance on Sunday to the side that was thrashed by lowly Malawi on the second day of the tournament.
Algeria twice fought back for a memorable win, arguably among the biggest upsets since the new-look Zambia side reached the 1994 final in Tunisia, less than one year after an air crash wiped out the majority of their team.
The Ivorians were ahead as early as the fourth minute in what looked to be a routine assignment, with Salomon Kalou's early strike suggesting they would dispatch Algeria's challenge with ease.
But by half time it was apparent the north Africans had rediscovered the battling will that had seen them overcome Egypt in last year's turbulent and tempestuous World Cup qualifiers. When Karim Matmour equalised it was fully deserved.
A slip at the back by Toure allowed Majid Bougherra's long ball to fall into the path of the German-based striker who whipped it home for the equaliser.
Boubacar Barry made a huge save to deny Abdelkader Ghezzal in the 68th minute and it looked as if Algeria would rue the wasted chance when the Ivorians brought on Abdelkader Keita.
He again provided a talismanic touch, or so it seemed, with just one minute left on the clock, striking home a devastating 30-metre thunderbolt that left the Algerian goalkeeper no chance.
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But as the Ivorians prepared to celebrate their supposed progress to Thursday's semifinals, so defender Bougherra was allowed to slip between the central defence and fullback and head home an innocuous-looking cross two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game. It forced the match into extra time, at the start of which Algeria brought on the English-based winger Hameur Bouazza.
His first touch of the ball two minutes later saw them go to the lead, again profiting from slovenly defending at the back in almost identical fashion to Bougherra's goal.
The shape of both sides then fell apart in the exhaustion of the contest and Algeria might have scored three more goals in quick succession, Ghezzal providing a comical miss.
Goalkeeper Chaouchi made a world-class save to deny Drogba but ultimately it was a horrendous linesman's decision that sealed it for Algeria when Toure's last gasp effort, at the end of extra time, was ruled offside. Television replays showed he wasn't, adding a fitting epilogue to a night of high drama in which the right team won in the end.
