VICTOR Moses converted two late penalties to give Nigeria a 2-0 win over Ethiopia on Tuesday and a place in the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup.

The Chelsea forward scored the first past Sisay Bancha after 80 minutes and the second past outfield player Addis Hintsa who had to go in goal after the keeper was sent off for bringing down Moses in the box in the 85th.

Ethiopia had already used all three substitutes in their final Group C match and finished with 10 men for the second time in the competition after keeper Jemal Tassew was also dismissed in their opening match with Zambia.

The high drama at the end of the game at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace was in sharp contrast to what had gone before.

Nigeria's players celebrate Moses' goal against Ethiopia

Both teams had a chance of qualifying for the last eight but in the first half neither played with much urgency.

Nigeria began to exert their superiority over Ethiopia in the closing stages against the lowest-ranked country (110th) here although they rarely looked convincing.

The Nigerians dominated for most of the match but had little to show for their 13 first-half goal attempts as most of the efforts carried no threat.

Ethiopia, whose coach Sewnet Bishaw made eight changes from the side that lost 4-0 to Burkina Faso, were even less inspiring and barely troubled Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

The game became more stretched as it went on and in the end Nigeria were deserved winners as Moses kept his cool in two high-pressure penalty situations.

Burkina Faso eliminate champions Zambia

Burkina Faso struck a double blow at the African Nations Cup on Tuesday by securing a surprise top place in Group C and eliminating holders Zambia from the competition after a goalless draw in Nelspruit.

A solid, defensive performance held at bay all that an increasingly desperate Zambia could throw at them and, combined with Nigeria's win over Ethiopia in Rustenburg, means Zambia will play no further part in the tournament.

They are the first holders to be eliminated at the first stage since Algeria in 1992.

Burkina Faso, outsiders coming into the tournament, now play either Togo or Tunisia in the quarter-finals on Sunday, ensuring at least one outsider in next week's semi-finals.

Zambia's Felix Katongo (L) fights for the ball with Burkina Faso's Bakary Kone

"We believed we could go further in this. It's a night of history for Burkina Faso," said coach Paul Putt. It is the first time since 1998, and only the second time ever, that they have reached the last eight.

"We had double motivation being close to qualification and playing against the champions. I told the players this chance might never come again," the Belgian-born coach added.

Zambia will rue missing their only real chance of the game in the 17th minute when Collins Mbesuma shot straight at the goalkeeper in a rare breach of the Burkinabe defence.

A cross from Chisamba Lungu set up Mbesuma right in front of goal but his shot went straight to Daouda Diakite.

They dominated most of the game and virtually camped in the Burkina Faso half in the second half, throwing their centre backs into centre forward positions for the final 10 minutes.

But the defence held firm and Burkina might have sneaked a goal in the last minute on the counter-attack when Jonathan Pitroipa just missed stretching home a cross from Charles Kabore.

Burkina Faso did suffer one setback with an early injury to Alain Traore, top scorer at the tournament, who went off with a knee injury in the 11th minute.

Reuters