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Makomborero Mutimukulu in MALABO, E Guinea
The 30th African Cup of Nations group stage comes to a thrilling end tonight with Cameroon taking on Cote d’Ivoire at Estadio de Malabo. Mali and Guinea also draw swords at the same time, 8 pm Zimbabwean time, in Mongomo.

Group D, which was once termed the Group of Death before being renamed the Group of Draws, concludes in that thrilling manner with the Zimbabwe Commando Anti Terrorism Unit once again offering security.

With all four teams tied on four points, and sharing the same goal difference, the final matches are too close to call.

The possibilities are endless.

It’s possible that both Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire will go home tonight.

How?

Another night of stalemates that sees the Mali and Guinea draw outscoring the Elephants and Indomitable Lions lockdown will see both pre-tournament favourites bidding farewell to the tourney.

Both Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire can also go through if their draw is higher scoring than the Mali versus Guinea one.

All the matches in the group have been drawn 1-1 draws so far and if the trend continues the Confederation of African Football will be forced to draw lots to choose the two teams that will progress to the quarter finals.

Identical scoring draws will see all the four teams tied on the same number of points (three) and sharing the same goal difference.

The Indomitable Lions will head into the clash against the Elephants with confidence, having dominated recent meetings between the two West African giants.

However, it will be foolhardy for the Indomitable Lions to read much into history as well as the manner in which their opponents have surprisingly struggled to get into groove at this tournament.

Skipper Yaya Toure and the Elephant herd he leads have been accused, by the media in their country, of lacking the passion expected from men wearing the famed orange shirt.

Toure has been lukewarm at best, anonymous at worst.

But the Manchester City man, who is being linked with a move to Roberto Mancini’s Inter Milan, is a big game player by his own admission.

And it doesn’t get any bigger than a Cameroon versus Cote d’Ivoire duel.

“Yaya is a top guy and we can always count on him,” said Ivorian midfielder Solomon Kalou who is expected to bounce back into a starting line — up that will be missing the suspended pair of Gervinho and Cheik Tiote.

While questions are being asked about the man leading the Elephants nothing but praise has been showered upon the big fellow strapping on the Indomitable Lions’ skipper armband.

Stephane Mbia Etoundi missed the opening game against Mali due to suspension but was present in the 1-1 stalemate with Guinea.

He is an automatic entry on coach Volker Finke tonight’s starting XI.

Mbia, of Spanish La Liga side FC Seville, is being credited with bringing unity to a side that was rocked by factionalism — yes factionalism — during the 2014 World Cup.

It’s claimed there was a camp aligned to Alex Song and another aligned to Samuel Eto’o in Brazil.

Both Song and Eto’o are not here and Finke revealed that, with the help of Mbia, he finally has a team.

“We now have a closed dressing room, a family. Nothing we do or say gets to the press without us taking it there. There has been a lot of hard work, behind closed doors and its showing on the pitch.

“We haven’t won a match yet but the play has been good and it has to be better if we are to beat Cote d’Ivoire,” said the German.

Mali and Guinea were not expected to punch this hard but they have.

Both stand a real chance of making it into the final eight.

The Malian Eagles’ go to man Bakary Sako laments the manner his team let both Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire back into the game after having taken the lead.

“We dropped four points and cannot afford to let our opponents back into the game like that again. Guinea have done well and playing them will not be easy but we are confident,” said the striker who butters his bread at English championship side Wolves.