MALABO: The Ivory Coast and pre-tournament favourites Algeria go head to head in Malabo on Sunday in what has the makings of a classic quarter-final at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana and Guinea meet in the first of a double-header of last-eight ties in Equatorial Guinea's capital earlier in the day before Herve Renard's Elephants face the leading side in Africa according to the FIFA rankings.
Neutrals will be hoping for a repeat of the 2010 quarter-final encounter between the teams in Angola, when the Ivory Coast led 2-1 going into injury time only for Algeria to equalise before triumphing 3-2 after extra time.
However, Ivorian coach Herve Renard will settle for a solid defensive display from his side. For all the attention given to captain Yaya Toure and an attack led by Wilfried Bony, it was their defence which particularly impressed in Wednesday's 1-0 defeat of Cameroon which took the Elephants through.
"There are not many teams in the world who are capable of attacking all the time. At international level Spain have been able to play that way and today maybe Germany too. But we are not Germany, we are Ivory Coast," said a pragmatic Renard.
In the opposite dugout will be Renard's fellow Frenchman Christian Gourcuff, an advocate of passing football.
He frequently complained that his team were unable to string passes together in their first two group games in Mongomo but saw an improvement in the 2-0 defeat of Senegal in Malabo on Tuesday that took his team through.
With five goals, Algeria were the most prolific team in the group stage and have enough depth in attack to cope without striker Islam Slimani, who has been struggling with a thigh problem. Winger Yacine Brahimi should be fine despite coming off hurt against Senegal.
Renard, meanwhile, has Gervinho and Cheick Tiote available again after suspension.
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