SEKONDI - Ivory Coast underlined their African Nations Cup credentials with a thumping victory over Benin in Sekondi on Friday.
Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure scored late in the first half before further strikes from Kader Keita and Aruna Dindane completed a comfortable win.
Razak Omotoyossi grabbed a late consolation for Benin, who made a bright start to the game but struggled to stay the pace.
The three points see Ivory Coast move to the top of Group B and into a strong position to reach the quarter-finals.
Benin made a strong start to the game and created the first real opening when Omotoyossi latched onto a through ball but wasted a glorious chance by firing wide.
The Ivorians responded but Dindane was off target with a close-range header when the goal was at his mercy.
Drogba then had a chance from the edge of the penalty area but shot straight at Rachad Chitou, while his strike partner Salomon Kalou was also wasteful with an effort that flew into the crowd.
Benin then came into their own with a strong period of play that resulted in a powerful, dipping strike from Stephane Sessegnon that Boubacar Barry could only parry.
Shortly after the half hour, Drogba wasted another chance by blazing over from close range before making amends with the opening goal on 39 minutes.
Yaya Toure was the architect with a defence-splitting pass that was latched onto by Drogba, who finished low with his left foot from just inside the penalty area.
Four minutes later the Elephants doubled their lead when Kolo Toure beat two defenders before crossing low from the right byline for his brother Yaya to tap home.
Benin made a nightmare start to the second half as a blunder by Damien Chrysostome allowed Keita in to grab a third goal on 52 minutes, the Lyon forward dispossessing the defender and slotting coolly beyond Chitou.
And it was 4-0 in the 62nd minute when Drogba's deft flick from a corner found Dindane, who gleefully nodded home.
And it almost got worse for Benin in the 80th minute.
An error from Chitou on the left side of the penalty allowed Kalou in, but the Chelsea forward's centre was blazed over the bar by Boubacar Sanogo.
Benin almost reduced the deficit moments later when Oumar Tchomogo was denied by a brilliant save by Barry, while at the other end the Ivorians had another chance when Gervais Yao Kouassi's low shot was cleared by the feet of Chitou.
Benin finally got their reward for a battling display in injury time, Omotoyossi heading home from close range after Sessegnon's inviting cross.
