
There were two balls in a pot labelled position two (2) and position three (3), with a representative from each team told to pick a ball - and the Confederation of African Football confirmed on its website on Thursday afternoon that Guinea had come out on top.
It is a remarkable set of circumstances and one not seen at the African Nations Cup since 1988, when the drawing of lots sent Algeria through to the knockout stage with the Côte d'Ivoire missing out. The draw was made at a meeting of the Confederation of African Football officials on Thursday.