LUANDA (Reuters) - Ten-man Ivory Coast beat fellow World Cup qualifiers Ghana 3-1 at the African Nations Cup on Friday as the tournament was plagued by familiar accusations of favouritism for the host nation.

Didier Drogba was on target in the day's only game as the Elephants became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals with an easy win in three-team Group B.

Ghana, making their debut, must now beat Burkina Faso for a place in the last eight.

Togo, the group's other team, pulled out last week after two delegation members plus their driver were killed in an ambush on their bus in the troubled enclave of Cabinda, where Friday's match was played.

Instead of facing Burkina Faso in the other half of the scheduled double bill at the Chiazi National stadium, Togo took on journalists in Lome following the funeral ceremony for their assistant coach and media officer, the ambush victims.

Thousands of people turned up to watch the match at the city's main stadium.

"It's a pleasure and a happy moment, it's the only way to honour and keep them in our memories," said team captain Emmanuel Adebayor.

"I think they are somewhere in the stadium looking at us, and I think they are very happy to see us play for them."

Already under a shadow, the tournament was embroiled in more controversy when Malawi protested to organisers that they had been prevented from training on the two days before Thursday's match with Angola, which the hosts won 2-0 to top Group A.
"We find it very strange that in this competition a team cannot be found a ground to train (on)," coach Kinnah Phiri told Reuters.

VERY DISAPPOINTED

"We feel that either the organising committee or the Angolan federation were working towards pushing Angola into the quarter-finals.

"Three times we went to a ground and found others using the pitch. We asked them to leave but they refused. We didn't have a session over the last two days before the game," added Phiri.

The finals have been routinely tainted by such accusations.

In 2006, Senegal and Ivory Coast, beaten in the semi-final and final respectively by hosts Egypt, complained bitterly about refereeing decisions. Ivory Coast's then coach Henri Michel said both West African teams had been victims of robbery.

Two years ago, Cameroon coach Otto Pfister complained that hosts Ghana and neighbours Ivory Coast had been given favourable treatment, including top class hotels while his own team were given second rate accommodation.

Pfister complained that his requests for private training sessions were never respected.

Ivory Coast had little to complain about on Friday after their win over Ghana, played against the monotonous din of plastic horns which have overpowered the traditional supporters' bands at the competition.
After throwing away a hatful of chances in their opening 0-0 draw with Burkina Faso, Vahid Halilhodzic's side proved far more efficient this time.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, who only joined Ghana on Wednesday after bad weather delayed his departure from London, started on the bench and his side were already trailing to a Gervinho goal when he came on at halftime.

Despite having Emmanuel Eboue sent off in the 56th minute, Ivory Coast added another goal through Siaka Tiene midway through the second half before Drogba's late header wrapped up the victory.

Substitute Asamoah Gyan pulled one back with a stoppage-time penalty for four times champions Ghana.