A second string Cote d'Ivoire side beat Angola 2-0 in Malabo on Monday to finish top of Group B at the African Nations Cup finals and also eliminate their opponents.

The Ivorians finished with a 100 percent record after three group matches, matching the full haul of six wins in the qualifiers. They now meet co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in Malabo in Saturday's semi-final.

Angola tumbled out by the slimmest of margins, losing second place to Sudan on goal difference.

Horror mistakes in defence effectively cost the Palancas Negras their spot in the last eight and handed it to Sudan instead.

Both Angola and Sudan finished on four points but Sudan had the better goal difference - by just a single goal.

Angola were always on the back foot on Monday, even up against a makeshift selection, as both Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou were left on the bench. The Ivorian attack was led by CSKA Moscow's Seydou Doumbia and the Dutch-based striker Wilfried Bony, who forced the first save of the game out of Angola's new goalkeeper Wilson in the 14th minute.

Stand-in captain Kolo Toure went close for the Ivorians nine minutes later, before Emmanuel Eboue scored at the back post after a cross from Bony that the Angolan defence failed to clear.

His goal 10 minutes from the break was popularly received by his team mates, who rushed to celebrate with the former Arsenal utility player.

Angola were to make an even more fatal mistake in the 64th minute to go 2-0 down when Dani Massunguna panicked in defence and headed a long ball back to his goalkeeper, who came off his line and missed it, allowing Bony to touch it home just before the line.

Once the Ivorians were 2-0 up they made substitutions, including brining on Drogba, which slowed down the game, but Angola's efforts at a late goal were stymied by Ivorian goalkeeper Daniel Yeboah.

Massunguna, seeking to make up for his earlier error, came closest but was thwarted at the back post.