Guinea struck in the dying stages of the game to secure a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea and progressed to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday evening.
Josete Miranda missed out through injury, with his spot in the Equatorial Guinea side filled by Esteban Orozco Fernandez, while on the opposite side former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita started on the bench with Amadou Diawarra and Mory Kante in the engine-room.
It was a very timid start to the contest, with very few box entries, penetrations and overall scoring chances from either nation.
The intensity was relatively low, but the Syli National attempted the deadlock with a well-worked solo attempt by Diawarra but it fizzled away.
Danger-man Emilio Nsue very nearly handed the Elephants the lead early in the second period with a decent strike from a promising position, but he went well over.
Guinea did have the ball in the net through a flying finish off the head from Konate following a curling free-kick to the box, but it was ruled out for offside.
Nzalang were reduced to ten players ten minutes intp the second period, with Federico Bikoro shown a straight red card for displaying a dangerous studs-up challenge.
Equatorial earned a big chance a little later when a foul in the box led the referee to consult the pitch-side monitor and signal a spot-kick, which Nsue struck against the foot of the post.
Keita, who now ply his trade for Bundesliga club SV Werder Bremen was introduced in the last ten minutes with Konate sacrificed.
The Syli National bagged the winner on the cusp of full-time when Mohamed Bayo rushed in at the near post to plant a pin-point header past Jesus Owono.
It was the last moment of the clash, as the Syli National progressed to the quarter-finals and send the Elephants packing.
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