Potential opponent for Ivory Coast: Zambia

With each team playing two games each, the 2013 African Cup of Nations could not be any tighter. Yet, the Ivory Coast became the first team to qualify, while Algeria became the first team eliminated from the tournament. With the Ivory Coast looking on track to win its first African Cup of Nations since 1992, we look at the records of the potential quarterfinals opponents for the Ivory Coast to see if the country can return to the final yet again.

While its next game is against Algeria, the Ivory Coast would not play a meaningful match until February 3 in the quarterfinals at Rustenburg:

Ivory Coast vs Zambia

A potential rematch of last year's AFCON final could come in the quarterfinals instead of the final at Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium. Zambia would face the Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals if:

• Zambia wins against Burkina Faso AND Nigeria wins against Ethiopia AND Nigeria outscores Zambia.
• Zambia and Nigeria both tie their matches AND Zambia outscores Nigeria. If both teams score the same amount of goals, the next tie-breaker would come down to a better booking record, and if need be, the dreaded casting of lots.

These teams have meet four times at an AFCON tournament, and the results are as follows:

1974 African Cup of Nations (group stage)

• March 2, 1974: Zambia 1, Ivory Coast 0
• Game played at El-Malhalla Stadium in El-Malhalla El-Kubra, Egypt

1992 African Cup of Nations (quarterfinals)

• January 20, 1992: Ivory Coast 1, Zambia 0 (after extra time)
• Game played at Stade Leopold Senghor in Dakar, Senegal

1994 African Cup of Nations (group stage)

• March 31, 1994: Zambia 1, Ivory Coast 0
• Game played at Stade Olympique de Sousse in Sousse, Tunisia

2012 African Cup of Nations (final)

• February 12, 2012: Zambia 0, Ivory Coast 0 (after extra time, Zambia defeats Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalty shootout)
• Game played at Stade d'Angondje in Libreville, Gabon
• NOTE: Zambia's victory over the Ivory Coast came 19 years after a plane crash killed 30 people, including 18 players of the national team.