A drawing of lots will be required to decide the last berth in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after Guinea and Mali could not be separated on the last day of the group stage on Wednesday.

The Ivory Coast secured their place in the last eight thanks to a 1-0 win against Cameroon that saw them finish top of Group D but Mali and Guinea were locked behind them with identical records after a 1-1 draw in Mongomo.

Kevin Constant put Guinea ahead from an early penalty and Modibo Maiga equalised for Mali after Seydou Keita missed a penalty for the Eagles, leaving the west African rivals level on three points each, with identical goal difference and goals scored.

And so rather than events on the pitch deciding which of the two goes through as group runners-up, lots will be drawn at a hotel in Equatorial Guinea’s capital Malabo on Thursday afternoon to pick out a lucky winner and send home a desperately unlucky loser.

There is a precedent at the Africa Cup of Nations for such a curious drama, with a drawing of lots needed in 1988 to take Algeria through to the knockout stage at the expense of the Ivory Coast in Morocco.

The two teams now face an agonising wait for the draw, which both coaches agreed was not a fair way to decide who will go on to meet Ghana in the last eight in Malabo on Sunday.

“You have to respect the rules, we have no choice. We are going to be nervous, Guinea also. We must find a more sporting, fairer way,” said Mali’s Polish coach Henryk Kasperczak.

His opposite number, Guinea coach Michel Dussuyer, added: “I would be disappointed (to go out in such a way) but it’s hard for any team.

“No-one deserves to be eliminated. Mali didn’t lose a game, they played very well in the tournament. They do not deserve to be eliminated in this way, just as we do not.”

At the beginning of the day there was the very real prospect that all four teams could go into a drawing of lots to decide who went through, with the first four matches in Group D all ending 1-1.

However, the Ivorians got the job done against Cameroon in a poor match in the capital Malabo, with Max-Alain Gradel once again proving to be their hero.

The Saint-Etienne winger netted the only goal of the game 10 minutes before half-time with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area after receiving a pass from Siaka Tiene on the left flank.

It was his second goal in as many games after he came off the bench to net the late equaliser in the stalemate with Mali at the weekend.

And it was enough for the Elephants to win the game and the group, with a disappointing Cameroon offering little in response, despite coach Volker Finke finishing the game with a front four.

“We tried really hard. Everyone gave their best, so that’s why we can’t say the team didn’t try to the end,” insisted Finke.

“In the second half everyone gave a lot but there weren’t many clear chances. In the first half we had two or three really good chances but couldn’t take them.”

In contrast, Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard looked forward to what he described as the real start of the competition for the Elephants.

“For a team like this the Africa Cup of Nations begins in the quarter-finals because to go out before is a failure,” said the Frenchman, whose team now face Algeria in Malabo on Sunday in a repeat of a 2010 quarter-final which the Elephants lost in extra time.

“The Algeria game will be very difficult — another one after a really tough group — so there you go the competition begins now.”

Except for the drama of Thursday’s draw, the next two days will be rest days before the first two quarter-finals will be played on Saturday, with Congo Brazzaville meeting DR Congo and hosts Equatorial Guinea facing Tunisia, both in Bata.