Ivory Coast powered past co-hosts Equatorial Guinea as the Africa Cup of Nations favourites won their quarter-final 3-0 in Malabo.

Elephants captain Didier Drogba was a central figure in the game, seeing a first-half penalty saved by Danilo.

Goran Stevanovic says his team is prepared to go the full mile in their quarter-final clash against Tunisia at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

Even though the first-two games of the knockout round has been determined within normal regulation time, the Black Stars are prepared for the likelihood of their match travelling beyond extra-time.

Tunisia are anticipating a tough quarter-final showdown against Ghana Sunday at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations as both sides push a last-four place.

The Carthage Eagles last reached the semi-finals in 2004, when they hosted and won the tournament.

John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy, the Football Association has confirmed.

The 31-year-old Chelsea centre-back was informed of the decision by FA chairman David Bernstein in a phone call at 1000 GMT.

The Black Stars of Ghana will come up against their Guinean counterparts in the final Group D matches on Wednesday at the 2012 African Cup of Nations at the Franceville stadium.

Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic is likely to start Kwadwo Asamoah and Samuel Inkoom in the midfield.

While Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba is on the football pitch, his mother is cooking for Africa Cup of Nations fans.

Clotilde Drogba's makeshift kitchen is at a dusty stadium on the outskirts of the Equatorial Guinea capital of Malabo, the Associated Press reports.

Sudan broke their seemingly 'goal curse' at the Africa Cup of Nations after coming from behind twice to hold Angola to a 2-2 draw in their Group B clash on Thursday in Malabo.

It was the first of goals to be scored by the Desert Hawks since March 6, 1976 where they held DR Congo (there Zaire) to a 1-1 draw in their group phase clash.

Asamoah Gyan is a major concern for Ghana ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations Group D match against Mali after limping off training on Thursday.

The 25-year-old felt pains in his right ankle, a problem he picked up during the opener against Botswana, and had to abandon the session midway.

Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovic has handed Jordan Ayew a starting role in his final squad for Ghana's opener with Botswana at the African Cup of Nations.

John Boye also makes the starting line-up along with skipper John Mensah.

Eleven days ago, Goran Stevanovic celebrated his first milestone as Ghana coach preparing the Black Stars for the tournament that he is craving to win, the African Cup of Nations.

A day after he signed his two year contract to coach Ghana, Stevanovic announced to the media when he was unveiled that he wanted the team to be 'first again'.

The first batch of thirty players have been invited for a pre-selection camp into the local Black Stars team beginning this weekend.

All 30 were drawn from the Premier League for the six-day camping, which begins Sunday, January 22-28 at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

Asamoah Gyan has given Ghana a timely injury lift after returning to full training on Saturday following a hamstring injury.

Gyan joined the Ghana team in training this morning at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Complex in Rustenburg after recovering from the injury suffered last month.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has claimed football has "sold its soul" to television companies.

He accepted the importance of the money TV rights brought, but said Premier League bosses must intervene to ensure fixture scheduling was fair to clubs.

Ivory Coast have beaten Tunisia 2-0 in an international friendly in Abu Dhabi.

Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time as both sides used the match to prepare for this month's Africa Cup of Nations.

Botswana's 23-man squad has touched base in Yaounde, Cameroon to prepare ahead of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, but the absence of two key players is a major source of worry for fans.

Botswana's Player of the Season, Edwin Olerile, and the Supporters' Player of the Year, Skhana Koko, could not make the cut for coach Stanley Tshosane's 23-man squad.

Coach Goran Stevanovic has a full squad as Ghana continues to monitor the progress of Asamoah Gyan.

The striker, who has made progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury arrived in the Ghana camp in Rustenburg Tuesday morning from Accra.