Algeria joined hosts Angola in the quarter finals of the African Cup of Nations after a goalless draw in Luanda.

A draw was all Algeria needed if Mali could beat Malawi in the other Group A match, and they duly obliged with a 3-1 victory. And perhaps news filtered through to both teams, because after a bright start the game began petering out in the second half.

Angola went into the match top of the group and knowing a draw was enough to guarantee their progress. But despite this they were still very keen to score, with both Gilberto and Jose Alberto trying their luck from long range in the early stages. Although it was Algeria who should have been ahead midway through the half, after Nadir Belhadj's free-kick fell to the feet of Madjid Bougherra five yards out, but he couldn't beat goalkeeper Carlos.

Algeria looked the most lively in the second half, and Karim Matmour just failed to get a touch on Hameur Bouazza's wicked low cross, before Bouazza then poked wide from a tight angle on the hour mark. But with both sides looking set to book their spots in the last eight, the pace dropped and the two teams played out the rest of the game.

Which meant Angola topped the group thanks to their victory over Malawi and two draws, while Algeria finished level on four points with Mali but progress courtesy of their 1-0 victory over their rivals - incidentally the only match in which they have scored!