Ten-man Democratic Republic of Congo crept into the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup despite losing 2-0 to Group B winners Cameroon.

Claude Leroy's side progressed to a meeting with hosts Egypt on goal difference - their record being one better than Angola, who beat Togo 3-2.

However, there was a hint of controversy as the last eight minutes were played out at a gentle pace as a lack of communication between officials allowed this game to kick off later that Angola's.

But two goals in three first-half minutes accounted for DR Congo, one from a piece of brilliance and the other sheer fortune.

A powerful Geremi free-kick in the 31st minute put Cameroon ahead and then a Samuel Eto'o mis-kick went in off goalkeeper Pascal Kalemba. Gladys Bokese was then sent off for kicking Pierre Webo.

Cameroon manager Artur Jorge, whose side had already qualified for the quarter-finals, made seven changes but they still started the brighter.

Benoit Angbwa broke free down the right on a marauding run in the fourth minute but after driving into the penalty area his cross-shot was comfortably claimed by Kalemba.

DR Congo hit back in the seventh minute when Zola Matumona unleashed a shot from 25 yards after a driving run by Blaise Mbele down the right but it did not trouble Idriss Carlos Kameni.

Kalemba was worked harder by midfielder Alioum Saidou's long-range shot in the 14th minute, stretching to his left to palm it aside.

Eto'o's first chance came in the 17th minute when he found a yard of space on the right of the penalty area but, unusually for him, he failed to hit the target.

Despite having the majority of possession Cameroon almost gifted their opponents a 27th-minute opener when a misunderstanding between Kameni and Jean-Hughes Bilayi Ateba allowed Mbele to break clean through but when he pulled the ball back from the byline there was no-one there to capitalise.

The breakthrough came just after the half-hour when Felicien Kebundi fouled Eto'o, earning himself a yellow card and therefore ruling him out of the quarter-finals.

However, greater punishment was to follow as Geremi drilled in the 25-yard free-kick which bounced just in front of Kalemba but the keeper failed to get a hand on it and it found the bottom corner.

DR Congo barely had time to recover from that when they were 2-0 down as Eto'o, in a more withdrawn role, ran from deep to spring the offside trap. His mis-hit shot rebounded off the post but went in off the helpless Kalemba's head.

The unmarked Albert Meyong Ze should have added a third but his glancing header went wide from Angbwa's searching cross.

Leroy threw on striker Kabamba Musasa and midfielder Mutamba Milambo for the second half but Eto'o almost scored within moments of the restart with a curling free-kick from the left which crashed against the crossbar and bounced to safety.

The Barcelona striker was denied again in the 59th minute as Kalemba stuck out a right foot to deflect the shot past the post.

Kalemba was lucky to escape with a booking after 66 minutes when he brought down the flying Webo, on as a substitute, but they were reduced to 10 men moments later when Bokese cynically thrust a boot into the chest of Webo as the pair were laid on the ground.

Webo then hit the crossbar from close range with 10 minutes to go which, with Angola winning, would have put DR Congo out.

Cameroon, who had already claimed top spot in the group, now face Ivory Coast in the next phase.