Gabon 0-2 Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea goalscorer Javier Balboa has amassed 14 caps

Hosts Equatorial Guinea reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals by beating Gabon.

Equatorial Guinea, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, went through as Group A runners-up behind Congo.

Striker Javier Balboa made it 1-0 with a 55th-minute penalty after he had been fouled by Lloyd Palun.

And the tournament hosts added another when substitute Salvador Iban slotted home a rebound from striker Emilio Nsue's shot.

While Equatorial Guinea rose to the challenge, having gone into the game knowing only a win would send them into the knockout stages, Gabon were unable to raise their level when they needed to and paid for a cautious start.

Gabon will reflect on what might have been had Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's powerful header not been superbly kept out by Equatorial Guinea keeper Ovono in the best chance of a lacklustre first half.

That opening was the only one of note created by either side in the opening period as Gabon appeared to play within themselves and the hosts' attitude and endeavour was let down by a lack of creativity.

Equatorial Guinea fans celebrate their team's win and send a clear message to their opponents

Gabon, supposedly a far stronger outfit than their opponents, were guilty of perhaps thinking they could play within themselves and achieve a draw that would see them through.

Two second-half free-kicks in quick succession offered the Gabonese opportunities to assert some control but Equatorial Guinea keeper Ovono was equal to the efforts from Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang and then Charlton's Frederic Bulot.

It was the hosts who stepped through the gears, Balbo playing a one-two with striker Fabiani Bosio and drawing a foul from Palun. Balboa duly picked himself up to score from the spot-kick.

Equatorial Guinea increased the pressure on the Gabon goal after that, Doualla bringing a save from Didier Ovono and Balboa was also thwarted by the keeper when clean through.

They got their reward when Valencia teenager Iban tucked his shot away after Nsue's effort had been saved, sending the home fans into ebullient celebrations and dumping Gabon out of the competition.

That Equatorial Guinea have made it out of their group is a remarkable achievement given their coach Esteban Becker was appointed only 11 days before the tournament.

They had been eliminated from qualifying for fielding an ineligible player and were only reinstated in the competition when the country took over as hosts from Morocco following the Ebola crisis.

Now, the side ranked 118th in Fifa's global list will get at least one more chance to thrill the home fans as they continue on their road to redemption.

Iban shows his delight after sealing Equatorial Guinea's victory with his first international goal