
Ivory Coast qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations after a lacklustre 0-0 draw with 10-man Cameroon, but a pitch invasion at the full-time whistle sparked dramatic scenes.

Visitors Cameroon had Stephane Mbia sent off just before the hour mark in Abidjan, and the match ended in farcical circumstances with the Ivory Coast players passing the ball around in defence as their opposition showed no desire to win possession.

At the full-time whistle Ivory Coast fans ran onto the pitch to celebrate their side's qualification success, with pictures emerging of supporters pulling the crossbar down at one end of the pitch.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Ivory Coast fans invade pitch after Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

A policeman appears to strike a fan with his baton as Ivory Coast fans invade the pitch at full-time in Abidjan

A policeman strikes a fan with his baton, while others evade the efforts of the police to stop them from trespassing onto the pitch

In the foreground, fans clamber over the crossbar in celebration at their team's qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations

WHO HAS QUALIFIED SO FAR? Ivory Coast join... Cameroon, Algeria, Cape Verde Islands, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Senegal and new hosts Equatorial Guinea The tournament will take place between January 17th and February 8th Advertisement

Police appeared to strike fans with batons in an attempt to stop them entering the field of play, but without success as hundreds made their way onto the pitch in celebration.

Fans clambered up railings at the side of the pitch to evade the attentions of baton-wielding riot police, as others watched on from the stands.

During the match, Cameroon captain Mbia was sent off for fouling Gervinho when he was adjudged to have been the last defender.

Yaya Toure's goal-bound effort from the free-kick was headed off the line, which was the closest either side came to a goal.

Cameroon have 14 points, followed by Ivory Coast on 10, while DR Congo - who beat Sierra Leone 3-1 - are third on nine.

The Congolese could still reach the finals as the best third-placed side in the pool stages, but they will have to wait for the rest of the qualifiers on Saturday to find out their fate.

A policeman tries to pull a supporter away from Gervinho at full-time, after he grabbed the Ivorian forward

Gervinho is mobbed at full-time (left), while the supporter who grabbed him at full-time is dragged away by police (right)

Police chased supporters that entered the field of play at full-time, after Ivory Coast's draw with Cameroon on Wednesday

The supporter who held Gervinho evades the attempts of police to catch him after the full-time whistle

A photograph from the stands shows hundreds of fans on the pitch, while in the background fans climb over fences

During the game itself, Yaya Toure (right) vies for the ball with Cameroon's Leonard Kwekeu (left)

On the left, Salomon Kalou battles with Raoul Loe (left), while Serge Aurier (right) flies through the air to head the ball

Ivory Coast forward Gervinho (centre) battles with Aurier for the ball during the match at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium

Kalou (right) evades the challenge of Cameroon's Franck Kom during the match that secured Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations place