Holders eliminated from Africa Cup of Nations at the group stage

Morocco beat Ivory Coast 1-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals and knock out the champions.

Rachid Alioui scored with a terrific shot from 25 yards to earn the win for Morocco and their coach Herve Renard, who led the Ivorians to the 2015 title.

Ivory Coast needed a win to go through but gave a listless performance, creating only two chances of note.

Wilfried Zaha shot weakly from 12 yards, while Salomon Kalou's header from a tight angle clipped a post.

The Elephants lacked urgency in their play and go home after appearing not to put up a fight.

Even after going behind they were unable to cause the organised and disciplined Morocco defence any problems.

Morocco went into the game knowing that a draw was very likely to be enough to qualify from Group C and their game plan from the start was to stay compact and hit on the counter-attack.

It served to frustrate their opponents, who opted for the long-ball approach on a shocking pitch and failed to find any penetration.

Morocco could have added a second on the counter-attack but 19-year-old full-back Hamza Mendyl shot into the side netting after running half the length of the pitch.

They will play the winner of Group D in the last eight on Sunday.

Togo beat DR Congo to go through to last eight

DR Congo reached the Africa Cup of Nations last eight as Group C winners with a victory that eliminated Togo.

Tournament top scorer Junior Kabananga converted Chancel Mbemba's pass for the opener, his third goal in three games.

Kabananga hit the post with a flicked header before Ndombe Mubele doubled the lead after the break, looping the ball over the keeper amid static defending.

Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba's tidy finish gave Togo hope, but PaulJose M'Poku's free-kick secured a deserved DR Congo win.

In the group's other game, holders Ivory Coast were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat by Morocco, who go through as group runners-up.

DR Congo go on to play the Group D runners-up in the last eight, which will be one of Mali, Ghana or - most likely - Egypt.

Togo had to beat DR Congo to go through and the game began with ill fortune as goalkeeper Baba Tchagouni was forced off injured.

He had to be replaced by third-choice stopper Cedric Mensah as first-choice Kossi Agassa had been allowed to return home after his house was vandalised by fans angry with his performance in the previous game, a 3-1 defeat by Morocco.

After Laba's goal, former Arsenal and Manchester City forward Emmanuel Adebayor blasted a chance for an equaliser straight at the keeper, but DR Congo were comfortable for the majority of the match.

Jonathan Bolingi also had a goal ruled out for offside, and might have wrapped the result up sooner with a shot deflected just wide before M'Poku's freekick swerved in off the underside of the bar.