Christian Gourcuff claimed that his side had been the better team despite losing 3-1 to the Ivory Coast in Malabo on Sunday to bow out of the Africa Cup of Nations.

"It was not the best team that won. I can't reproach the players for anything. We had a good few chances that we didn't take," said the Frenchman after their quarter-final exit.

Algeria trailed at the interval to a Wilfried Bony goal but Hilal Soudani drew them level early in the second period.

However, Soudani was then denied by a brilliant Sylvain Gbohouo save before Bony put the Elephants back in front with a header from a Yaya Toure free-kick and Gervinho secured their win at the death.

"The Soudani chance in particular was a great one, and the goal we lost at the set-piece was cruel.

"If we played the same game 10 times we wouldn't lose it 10 times," added Gourcuff, whose team ended up facing the Ivorians after finishing second behind Ghana in Group C.

"I think the regret we can have is the goal we lost at the end against Ghana (a 1-0 defeat), which led to us playing the Ivory Coast.

"But the way we dominated against the Ivorians gives us plenty of hope."