James Earl Kiawoin:, external Will the real Bony, Toure (Yaya) and Gervinho please show up? Ivory Coast will need your presence against Algeria.

Anthem time in Malabo. Some focused looks on the faces of the Ivorians. Do they believe that this is the year that they end their major tournament hoodoo?

Steve Crossman
BBC Sport Estadio de Malabo

"Some very interesting team news from Ivory Coast. With the incredible form of Max Gradel in this tournament, who has scored some massive goals, the question was would he start? Or would Gervinho? The answer is both of them, they start alongside Wilfried Bony."

Gervinho returns after a two match suspension earned for a red card in Ivory Coast's first game. Algeria are unchanged.

Ivory Coast: Gbohouo, Bailly, K Touré, Kanon, Aurier, Y Touré, Gonzaroua Die, Tiéné, Gradel, Bony, Gervinho.

Subs: Barry, Diarrassouba, Assalé, Doukoure, Doumbia, Kalou, Gadji-Celi Carmel Junior, Akpa-Akpro, Diomande, Traoré, Mandé.

Algeria: M'bolhi, Mandi, Bougherra, Medjani, Ghoulam, Taïder, Bentaleb, Feghouli, Brahimi, Mahrez, Soudani.

Subs: Doukha, Cadamuro, Halliche, Mesbah, Lacen, Belfodil, Slimani, Zemmamouche, Kadir, Djabou, Kashi, Zeffane.

Nick Cavell
BBC Sport at Estadio de Malabo

"It is going to be a fascinating match, it is going to be tough to call and I am not going to make a prediction."

Just to underline how big this quarter-final is, these two sides are now the joint favourites for this tournament with the bookmakers.

They've only met once before in the Afcon knockout stages, and unsurprisingly it was a tight game, with Algeria prevailing 3-2 after extra-time in 2010.

Image source, Getty Images

Either former Rangers defender and current Algeria captain Madjid Bougherra or Liverpool and Ivory Coast's Kolo Toure will see their international career end today.

Both men have made it clear that the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea will be their final tournament for their respective national teams.

So who will it be? "We don't have famous players like them," Bougherra has been telling BBC Sport. "But Africa is different, it's not just about technique, it is about heart."

Image source, Getty Images

No prizes for guessing that that side are Algeria, rated by Fifa as the world's 18th best team. However, despite that impressive status, they too have struggled to reach top gear at these finals.

They flattered to deceive in their first match against South Africa, needing a late turnaround to claim a perhaps undeserved win, and then conceded a late winner against Ghana in their second match.

But a 2-0 win against Senegal in their final group game showed signs of their best form, and the team that gave Germany a real scare at the 2014 World Cup are sure to be no pushovers in the knockout stages.

Image source, Getty Images

What to make of Ivory Coast? So often the bridesmaid at this tournament, could this be their year?

They started off in unconvincing fashion, needing late equalisers to rescue a point in their group matches against Guinea and Mali.

But a victory against fellow heavyweights Cameroon in their final group game, plus the exit of a slew of fancied teams, has raised hopes that they may yet end a trophy drought stretching back to their sole Afcon triumph in 1992.

Before they can entertain those thoughts, though, they have to get past the tournament's highest-ranked team in the quarter-finals...

Welcome back to our live coverage of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Earlier we saw Ghana beat Guinea 3-0 to book their place in the semi-finals.

Now it's time to turn our attention to the last of the quarter-finals, which pits Ivory Coast against Algeria.

We're going to bid you farewell for an hour, but we'll be back at 19:00 GMT to bring you another mouth-watering quarter-final: Ivory Coast v Algeria. Join us then.

Image source, BBC Sport

The stats tell the story of a hugely disappointing showing for Guinea. They actually shaded possession, but failed to get a single shot on target, and allowed Ghana to have 11 efforts at goal.

The Black Stars were much the more clinical with their opportunities, hitting the target with five and scoring three.

So, Ghana advance to the semi-finals for the fifth Cup of Nations in succession, where they will face Equatorial Guinea. The Black Stars will start as heavy favourites.

Guinea, by contrast, suffer their fourth straight quarter-final defeat. The wait goes on for the National Elephants.

Steve Crossman
BBC Sport at Estadio de Malabo

Image source, Reuters

"How many times have we seen Ghana look very good in a quarter-final? It is 33 years since they won this tournament so there seems to be something that changes things after this stage. In Avram Grant they have a manager who looks to have had a great impact on this team, but he is not a man who likes finals, he lost three in his four years in English football. But all Ghana can do is win their games, which they have done very convincingly here."

That's it. A straightforward win for Ghana against a Guinea side who simply didn't get going. Michel Dussuyer's side were always the underdogs, and a disastrous first half put paid to their chances of pulling off an upset.

Ghana, though never really tested, were sporadically impressive, and in Christian Atsu's second goal they netted a contender for Goal of the Tournament.

Mr Hammond:, external I did say Guinea should calm down. Disgraceful tackle by the goalie who was lucky to have even remained on the field

The farcical scenes continue as Andre Ayew's clever free-kick locates an unmarked Mohamed Rabiu and the sub somehow contrives to fire over from four yards.

Nick Cavell
BBC Sport at Estadio de Malabo

"I think it was the high foot. It hit Gyan in the top of the stomach. It was a high challenge rather than a last man rule there I think."

Bizarre ending to this match. Ghana pump a long ball forward, Guinea keeper Naby Yattara charges out and karate kicks the onrushing Asamoah Gyan - and with around 14 seconds left to play, he's off, and defender Abdoulaye Cisse takes his place between the sticks.

Image source, AP

Another one for the collection of curious refereeing decisions at this tournament. The referee books Ghana keeper Razak Braimah for timewasting, even though he appears to have rolled the ball out to kick it. Guinea get an indirect free-kick in the box, but Ibrahima Traore's effort is charged down.