The China Mail - Diallo stars as Ivory Coast set up Egyptsh owdown in AFCON

Diallo struck the opening goal and created the second for Yan Diomande before half-time. Substitute Bazoumana Toure completed the scoring in the closing minutes in Marrakesh.

Ivory Coast now travel south to Moroccan coastal city Agadir, where they will face record seven-time champions Egypt on Saturday for a semi-finals place.

Since Egypt successfully defended the title in Angola 16 years ago, seven title holders have failed to reach the last eight.

Cameroon and Senegal made last-16 exits, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Algeria were eliminated after the group stage, and Egypt and Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament.

Burkinabe defender Adamo Nagalo was yellow-carded after just five minutes for fouling Diallo. However, the Red Devil disappointed from the resulting free-kick, firing embarrassingly wide.

Ivory Coast were dominating possession and captain Franck Kessie was not far off target when he tried to steer a shot into the roof of the net.

There was a sense of inevitability when the title-holders went ahead on 20 minutes. Diallo powered his way past several defenders before striking the ball beyond goalkeeper Herve Koffi

Burkina Faso wanted the goal disallowed, claiming Nagalo had been body checked by Evann Guessand, but a VAR review confirmed the decision of the Sudanese referee to award it.

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Such was the control of the Ivorians that it came as no surprise when they increased their lead on 32 minutes on a cold, dry night at the foothills of the Atlas mountain range.

Diallo was the provider this time. Passing the ball across the box to 19-year-old Diomande, whose superbly bent shot gave Koffi no chance as it flew into the left corner.

In a rare raid, Burkina Faso almost halved the deficit as Brentford striker Dango Ouattara cut in from the right and struck the base of the post. Relieved goalkeeper Yahia Fofana grasped the rebound.

Burkina Faso coach Brama Traore took off Nagalo as half-time approached, replacing him with midfielder Blati Toure. Another change, during the break, saw Georgi Minoungou come on for striker Lassina Traore.

Starved of possession in the opening 45 minutes, the Burkinabe had more success when play resumed and came close to scoring on the hour mark.

Ouattara connected with a low cross and Fofana reacted swiftly at his near post to push the ball away from danger.

Burkina Faso introduced Sunderland striker Bertrand Traore with 20 minutes remaining. His AFCON debut came in 2012 as a 16-year-old and he is competing at the tournament a sixth time.

An Ivorian counterattack offered unmarked Diallo a great chance to score again, but Koffi used his leg to block a close-range shot at the expense of a corner.

Substitute Toure scored his second goal in as many matches when he ran from his own half on 87 minutes, then slammed the ball past Koffi.

I.Taylor--ThChM--ThChM