Chris Katongo scored for Zambia in a second successive game at the African Nations Cup finals to hand them top place in Group A after a 1-0 win over co-hosts Equatorial Guinea.

More importantly it means they now avoid a likely match-up with hot favorite Cote d'Ivoire in the weekend's quarter-finals.

Katongo, who also scored in the 2-2 draw with Libya on Wednesday, broke the deadlock after 66 minutes to set up a likely match-up with Angola on Saturday. Zambia will go back to Bata where they played their first two group games.

An open second half added to the element of entertainment after a pedestrian first half that did have chances but took a while to warm up.

There was passionate support for Equatorial Guinea in their capital, where they were playing for the first time after also competing in two matches in Bata. They now stay in Malabo for their quarter-final game, which will also be on Saturday.

Equatorial Guinea were restricted to a long range free kick early on from captain Juvenal Edjogo and a good chance close in three minutes before half-time which was smothered by quick reaction from Zambia's goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

It was much the same in the second half although they might have grabbed a late goal through Edjogo, who forced Mweene into another good save on the stroke of half-time.

Zambia also had limited effort in the first 45 minutes from Emmanuel Mayuka and then Katongo, whose 36th minute shot was saved by Katongo.

Zambia will now play in their second successive quarter-final. Two years ago they lost in the last eight on penalties to Nigeria in Lubango, Angola.

By finishing top of Group A they have given themselves an easier looking path to a possible final place. They will likely meet Angola in the quarter-finals at the weekend and possibly Gabon in the semi-finals, avoiding both Ghana and the Ivorians.