Angola's failure to reach the quarter-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations will come as a great disappointment to a side who believed they had the ability even perhaps to go all the way in this tournament.

Their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Cote d'Ivoire on Monday, coupled with Sudan's 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso, resulted in Palancas Negras (the "Sable Antelopes") failing to qualify on goal-difference.

But their failure was not, in many ways, sealed with this defeat. They should have finished the job against Sudan last Thursday, when they twice led but allowed the North Africans to fight back for a 2-2 draw.

Had Angola held onto the leads they had, they would have been celebrating qualification before going into their final pool match against the Ivorians - a game which was always going to be an uphill task.

The frustration among coach Lito Vidigal and his players after the final whistle on Monday was evident. The coach was moody and petulant in the post-match press conference, complaining about the translation of his Portuguese into English and French and giving short, sharp answers.

The Angolan police assigned to protect the players gave them an escort through the mixed zone - where players are meant to be available to journalists - and are alleged to have threatened journalists should they try to ask the players questions, or report on the heavy-handed tactics once back in Angola.

This behaviour speaks of a poisonous atmosphere within the squad.

Disappointment is natural and expected, but in the aftermath of such a defeat the coach and the players should have answered their critics and simply refused to do so.

That leaves a sour taste in the mouths of Angolans who want to know where this side goes to now. The team's aloofness and strong-arm tactics suggests heavy introspection is unlikely, and criticism will not be tolerated.

For Cote d'Ivoire, the game was another study in efficiency. Another clean sheet, two more goals and a perfect record in the first round.

Coach Francois Zahoui has rightly adopted a win-at-all-costs policy that sets his side up not necessarily to entertain, but to get results. The players appear to have bought into that: they look disciplined and organised.

With Senegal and Morocco ousted from the tournament, only Ghana should really be a threat to the Ivorians, who should have no trouble dispatching co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in the quarter-finals.