( CNN ) -- Pre-tournament favorites the Ivory Coast qualified for the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-1 victory against Ghana in Angola on Friday night , despite having Emmanuel Eboue sent off . The Elephants have four points from two games , leaving Ghana and Burkina Faso to fight for the other place from Group B , with Togo having withdrawn following the deadly gun attack on their team bus . Ghana 's Black Stars will need to show more penetration next Tuesday than they did on a boggy-looking , cut up pitch in Cabinda , with Burkina Faso needing just a draw to go through . Injury-hit Ghana , four-time winners of the tournament , started with captain Michael Essien on the bench as he was deemed not ready to play due to the hamstring problem that delayed his arrival from England . And while his side made it a bright start , it was the Ivorians who took the lead in the 23rd minute after a swift counter-attack , with Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure threading a slide-rule pass behind the defense to Salomon Kalou which allowed the Chelsea striker to square a simple chance for Gervinho to knock into the net . Kalou 's clubmate Essien came on at halftime for Mousse Narry and gave his team more presence in midfield , but it was the Ivory Coast who were left to rue strongarm tactics when Arsenal 's Eboue was red-carded for a dreadful two-footed lunge on Agyeman Opoku in the 55th minute . Mathew Amoah almost made the Ivorians pay immediately , but his left-foot shot hit the base of the post with goalkeeper Boubacar Barry well beaten . But Ghana paid for their lack of finishing when Siaka Tiene fired in a superb free-kick in the 67th minute , with his dipping left-foot effort from the right-hand side of the pitch clearing the wall and beating keeper Richard Kingson at his near post . Kalou was stretchered off soon after following a collision with a teammate , but the Ivory Coast were comfortable and added a third goal in the final minute of regulation time when his replacement Kader Keita did well to deliver a cross which captain Didier Drogba powerfully headed home at the far post . Ghana were given a consolation penalty in time added on when halftime substitute Asamoah Gyan went down under a 50-50 challenge from Soulemane Bamba , and the Rennes striker got up to slot the goal .
Ivory Coast reach last eight of Africa Cup of Nations with 3 - 1 win over Angola in Angola . The Elephants go through despite having Arsenal 's Emmanuel Eboue sent off . Ghana face Burkina Faso on Tuesday needing a win to qualify in second place . Group B was reduced to two teams after Togo withdrew following deadly gun attack .