The group stages portion of the 30th Cup of African Nations came to an end with some interesting results coming out of Group D.

The Black Stars put on a fine display yesterday to qualify for the quarter finals, but had to wait for the completion of Group D to determine our opponents. It seems we’d have to wait a little bit more, as a 1-1 draw means Guinea and Mali cannot be separated by any of the means normally used in the football world.

It was either side’s third consecutive 1-1 draw, which means they finished equal in every department. Points, goal difference, goals scored, head to head. Short of using alphabetical order there is no other way of separating these two sides.

The solution therefore, as it happens very rarely in football, is that lots would be drawn by the Confederation of African Football tomorrow, and whoever is the lucky side goes through to face Ghana- by virtue of having finished 2nd in the Group.

The other group game saw giants Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire facing off for the chance to reach the next round. Their points total before the game meant one of these behemoths would need to take an early shower from the competition; and after 90 tightly contested minutes it is the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon who have that dubious honour.

A cagey game was narrowly shaded by the Ivorians, who looked more dangerous on the break. The only goal arrived in the 36th minute, when defender Max Gradel hit an unstoppable left footed effort from around 30 yards, beating the goalkeeper and handing his side the lead.

It was a lead they held for the rest of the game, sending Renard Herve’s men into the quarter finals after some scares in the early stages of the group.

Cote d’Ivoire meets Algeria, who finished second in group C. The drawing of lots would separate Guinea and Mali tomorrow, to ensure Ghana gets an opponent to play in the quarter final.