AFP

LIBREVILLE A DIDIER-inspired Ivory Coast and Zambia eased into the semi-finals on day 15 at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Chelsea icon Drogba scored twice, after missing a spot kick, with Manchester City star Yaya Toure adding a magical freekick in the Elephants’ 3-0 defeat of gallant co-hosts Equatorial Guinea.

That Malabo quarter-final on Saturday came after Zambia had downed 10-man Sudan by the same scoreline over on the mainland in Bata.

The Ivorians will meet the winner of Sunday’s quarterfinal in Libreville between Gabon and Mali, with Zambia’s reward a last four date with either Ghana or Tunisia. Both games were preceded by one minute of silence in memory of the 74 Egyptian fans who died at the Port Said stadium slaughter on Wednesday.

In Malabo, the country’s president had dispatched his marabouts (holy men) to bless the pitch on Friday and the move apppeared to have worked a treat when keeper Danilo saved a Drogba penalty.

But the 33-year-old Chelsea icon kept his cool to atone for that misshap, striking with his right foot on 36 minutes and his head on 69 as the Elephants made it four wins in four matches.

African Footballer of the Year Toure completed the scoring nine minutes from full-time with a superb goal off a set piece, curling the ball over the wall and Danilo to send home supporters streaming to the exits