AFCON 2015: Day 9 Scores, Results, Standings and Africa Cup of Nations Schedule

Hosts Equatorial Guinea scored two second-half goals on Sunday to beat Gabon 2-0 and qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations along with Gabon, who downed Burkina Faso 2-1.

Only at the tournament after agreeing to host following Morocco's withdrawal, Equatorial Guinea go through to the knockout stages after a terrific second-half display against a good Gabon side.

Congo were late winners against Burkina Faso and claimed a second victory of the tournament to top Group A. 

Here are the latest results and updated groups after play on Day 9:

Date	Time (GMT/ET)	Stage	Fixture
Jan. 17	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group A	Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Congo
Jan. 17	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group A	Burkina Faso 0-2 Gabon
Jan. 18	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group B	Zambia 1-1 Congo DR
Jan. 18	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group B	Tunisia 1-1 Cape Verde Islands
Jan. 19	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group C	Ghana 1-2 Senegal
Jan. 19	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group C	Algeria 3-1 South Africa
Jan. 20	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group D	Ivory Coast 1-1 Guinea
Jan. 20	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group D	Mali 1-1 Cameroon
Jan. 21	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group A	Equatorial Guinea 0-0 Burkina Faso
Jan. 21	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group A	Gabon 0-1 Congo
Jan. 22	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group B	Zambia 1-2 Tunisia
Jan. 22	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group B	Cape Verde Islands 0-0 Congo DR
Jan. 23	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group C	Ghana 1-0 Algeria
Jan. 23	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group C	South Africa 1-1 Senegal
Jan. 24	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Group D	Ivory Coast 1-1 Mali
Jan. 24	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Group D	Cameroon 1-1 Guinea
Jan. 25	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group A	Congo 2-1 Burkina Faso
Jan. 25	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group A	Gabon 0-2 Equatorial Guinea
Jan. 26	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group B	Cape Verde Islands v Zambia
Jan. 26	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group B	Congo DR v Tunisia
Jan. 27	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group C	Senegal v Algeria
Jan. 27	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group C	South Africa v Ghana
Jan. 28	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group D	Cameroon v Ivory Coast
Jan. 28	6 p.m./1 p.m.	Group D	Guinea v Mali
Jan. 31	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Quarter-Final 1	Group A Winner v Group B Second Place
Jan. 31	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Quarter-Final 2	Group B Winner v Group A Second Place
Feb. 1	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Quarter-Final 3	Group C Winner v Group D Second Place
Feb. 1	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Quarter-Final 4	Group D Winner v Group C Second Place
Feb. 4	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Semi-Final 1	Quarter-Final 1 Winner v Quarter-Final 4 Winner
Feb. 5	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Semi-Final 2	Quarter-Final 2 Winner v Quarter-Final 3 Winner
Feb. 7	4 p.m./11 a.m.	Third-place	Semi-Final 1 Loser v Semi-Final 2 Loser
Feb. 8	7 p.m./2 p.m.	Final	Semi-Final 1 Winner v Semi-Final 2 Winner

Group A	Team	PL	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Congo	3	2	1	0	4	2	2	7
2	Equatorial Guinea	3	1	2	0	3	1	2	5
3	Gabon	3	1	0	2	2	3	-1	3
4	Burkina Faso	3	0	1	2	1	4	-3	1
Group B	Team	PL	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Tunisia	2	1	1	0	3	2	+1	4
2	Cape Verde	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
3	DR Congo	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
4	Zambia	2	0	1	1	2	3	−1	1
Group C	Team	PL	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Senegal	2	1	1	1	3	2	1	4
2	Ghana	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	3
3	Algeria	2	1	0	1	3	2	1	3
4	South Africa	2	0	1	1	2	4	-2	1
Group D	Team	PL	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Ivory Coast	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
2	Mali	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
3	Cameroon	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
4	Guinea	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2

Gabon 0-2 Equatorial Guinea 

Themba Hadebe/Associated Press

Equatorial Guinea recovered from a sluggish first-half performance to score twice after the break and send themselves through to the knockout stages at the expense of Gabon.

The hosts were indebted to goalkeeper Felipe Ovono, whose saves kept them in the match—a Javier Balboa penalty and late Iban Edu goal eventually ensuring the crucial victory.

Equatorial Guinea needed a win in Bata to see themselves through to the knockout rounds, having claimed only a pair of draws from their opening two matches against Burkina Faso and Congo.

However, it was Gabon who had by far the better chances of the first half, forcing Ovono into two top saves.

In the 22nd minute, Frederic Bulot chipped up an inviting cross from the left which was met powerfully in the box by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Ovono parried it away well.

Bulot was involved again just before the half-hour as he played a one-two with Malick Evouna before forcing another decent stop from Ovono.

Ovono again was forced into two saves early in the second half as he tipped free-kicks from Aubameyang and Bulot over the bar as Gabon looked to inflict the killer blow, per SandalsForGoalposts:

And the keeper's form was eventually handsomely rewarded as Equatorial Guinea were handed a penalty and the chance to take the lead in the 53rd minute.

Balboa burst into the box after a clever one-two and was challenged by Lloyd Palun, the referee awarding a legitimate penalty despite the winger's theatrical fall, per African football expert Jonathan Wilson:

Balboa himself stepped up to fire the spot-kick into the corner to the delight of the Bata crowd.

With Gabon now needing a goal to stay in the competition, they inevitably piled forward but could not find the equaliser.

Balboa could have wrapped things up for the hosts with a quarter of an hour remaining as he found himself in acres of space in the box, but Didier Ovono saved well with his legs.

In an extraordinary climax, Equatorial Guinea did indeed claim a vital second, Iban slotting home a parried Emilio Nsue shot to send the stadium into delirious celebrations.

Congo 2-1 Burkina Faso

Themba Hadebe/Associated Press

Congo were able to suppress a late Burkina Faso rally to claim victory in their final group match on Sunday and qualify for the quarter-finals, with the Stallions heading home.

Thievy Bifouma opened the scoring just after half-time to put Congo in control with Fabrice Ondama then netting very late on after Aristide Bance had equalised for Burkina Faso.   

Burkina Faso were not only looking for their first win of the tournament against Congo, but also their first goal after a 2-0 loss to Gabon and a 0-0 draw with Equatorial Guinea saw them rooted to the bottom of Group A.

The Stallions started well as Jonathan Pitroipa carved out two half chances, but it was Congo who had the best chance of the first half.

Delvin N'Dinga played in Bifouma on the left of the area midway through the first hold, but the striker pulled his shot wide of the post.

Congo then dealt a heavy blow early in the second half as they took a 1-0 lead, Ferebory Dore cantering down the right and squaring the ball for Bifouma to send home from close range, per Football News Alert:

"

AFCON: Bifouma goal #determination... Congo 1-0 Burkina Faso https://t.co/QAvrSGrxrB

— Football News Alert (@Footy_Layne24) January 25, 2015"

With Burkina Faso needing a victory they desperately looked to attack but failed to find even a legitimate chance until deep into the second half.

Bance then slotted home from three yards after a brilliant cross from Issiaka Ouedraogo, but it all seemed too little, too late.

And Congo retook the lead moments later in comedic fashion after a poor Germain Sanou punch from N'Dinga's free-kick bounced off Ondama and looped into the net.

Congo were deserved winners and top Group A having also beaten Gabon, but Burkina Faso simply were not clinical enough throughout the tournament to warrant qualification to the quarter-finals.