Equatorial Guinea striker Javier Balboa has revealed that he would prefer not to face Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals of the 2012 African Cup of Nations.

The team, which is co-hosting the tournament with Gabon, booked their place in the quarterfinals – despite losing 1-0 to Zambia on Sunday – after finishing second in Group A, and are likely to meet tournament favourite Ivory Coast in the next round.

“We have built some confidence during our two victories and our spirits are high, but nobody in the outfit wants to meet Cote d’Ivoire in the next round. Maybe later, in the semis or final,” Javier Balboa told reporters after the Zambia match.

“Not that we can’t play the Elephants (Ivory Coast), but their status as a star-studded team is very formidable. We have raised very high hopes across our little country. What many never expected the team to do, they are doing wonderfully.

"So it’d be a catastrophe if we are wiped out in the quarterfinals by Cote d’Ivoire. Many hearts will be broken. Fans are expecting us to move forth as far as possible, to the semifinal and even the final.”

“Nobody here wants the trophy to leave the sub-region (West Africa). We want it to stay either here or in Gabon. We are sister countries and we are motivating each other at the tournament. If we both play in the final on 12 February, it would be the greatest dream come true in the lives of the populations of both countries,” he said.

Ivory Coast are set to face Angola in the Group B decider on Monday and the runner-up will play Zambia in the first of the quarterfinals on Saturday. The winner will play co-host Equatorial Guinea in Malabo, also on Saturday.

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