Defending champions Ivory Coast were knocked out of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in the group stage Tuesday after losing 1-0 against Morocco following a lone goal from Rachid Alioui.
The Moroccans will be joined in the quarter-finals by Democratic Republic of Congo, who were also winners on Tuesday, 3-1 over Togo, as they ended the group stage on top of Group C.
After two draws to start the tournament, Ivory Coast needed a victory over Morocco in the northern Gabon city of Oyem to move into the final eight, but the match lacked any major highlights early on.
Morocco's Faycal Fajr changed that in the 25th minute as the Deportivo La Coruna midfielder hammered his free kick from 20 yards out into the crossbar.
Ivory Coast were close on 37 minutes but Wilfried Zaha could not do more than a weak shot off a fine pass from Salomon Kalou.
The reigning champs found the framework themselves three minutes before the break with Kalou heading a flick from Wilfried Bony onto the outside of the far left post.
But in the 64th minute, Morocco shocked the Elephants as Alioui unleashed a beautiful shot from left of goal just over the keeper into the upper right corner. The 24-year-old, who plays for Nimes in France, came on in the 42nd minute after having played just one minute in Morocco's previous two contests.
Ivory Coast seemed to lack the energy to challenge the Morocco goal thereafter and the match ended 1-0 in favour of the North Africans.
In Port-Gentil, the match between Togo and DR Congo also started quietly with the first incident of interest occurring on 24 minutes when Togo keeper Baba Tchagouni came off injured, replaced by Cedric Mensah.
The team's top keeper Kossi Agassa refused to start the game after Togo fans had attacked his house following the Sparrow Hawks' previous match, a 3-1 loss against Morocco.
DR Congo tested and beat Mensah for the first time in the 29th minute as Chancel Mbemba sent a long ball from his own half into open space with Junior Kabananga racing onto the pass and fending off Togo midfielder Serge Gakpe, before one-timing a blast home for the 1-0 lead and the Astana striker's third goal of the tournament.
Kabananga nearly added his fourth in the 45th minute but his looping header off a corner bounced off the inside of the far right post.
DR Congo did double their lead on 54 minutes as Mubele beat the offside trap on a long ball and then looped his attempt over Mensah to make it 2-0.
Needing a victory to advance to the quarter-finals, Togo remained alive as they pulled a goal back in the 69th minute with Kodjo Laba striking home from beyond the area just inside the right post.
DR Congo finished off the match for good in the 80th minute with Paul-Jose M'Poku nailing his free kick from the edge of the area off the lower half of the crossbar, for what ended up being the final scoreline of 3-1.
Ivory Coast finished third in the group with two points, followed by Togo on one point.
