Substitute Bazoumana Toure secured a dramatic 3-2 win for Ivory Coast against Gabon in the Africa Cup of Nations, to qualify for the round of 16 as Group F winners.

Gabon, who were without the injured Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, had little to play for but almost sprung a shock, but Ivory Coast fought to the end.

It was a poor start for Alban Lafont as he spilled Teddy Averlant’s angled shot from the right in the 11th minute, and Guelor Kanga pounced to fire home the rebound.

And just 10 minutes later, Gabon doubled their lead as Kanga’s cross deflected to the unmarked Denis Bouanga, who bent an excellent strike into the bottom-right corner.

Ivory Coast upped the pressure after that, with Oumar Diakate rattling the right post, but just one minute before the break, the reigning champions halved the deficit. Wilfried Zaha was not picked up on the left, and he squared it to Kean-Philippe Krasso to turn home.

Clench Loufilou and Teddy Averlant both fired just over for Gabon after the break, but those missed chances were eventually punished in the 84th minute when Evann Guessand thumped in a towering header to equalise.

And just when it looked like the game was heading to a draw, Toure got in front of his defender to flick his header past Francois Bekale to secure all three points.

But there was more late drama as Ousmane Diomande slotted into an empty net, only for his stoppage-time effort to be disallowed for offside.