FRANCEVILLE, Gabon -- An injury time goal by captain Andre Ayew, Ghana’s fourth player to lead on the night secured the Black Stars a semi-final place with a clash against Zambia on Wednesday.
Ayew capitalized on an error by goalkeeper Mathlouthi Aynem from a cross on the right by Samuel Inkoom to tap in and Ghana a 2-1 win in a nervy quarter-final clash at the Stade de Franceville on Sunday night against a ten-man Tunisia.
Abdennour Aymen was sent off in extra-time for striking Andre Ayew in the face in a nervy and confrontational finish with the Tunisians being booed.
The Black Stars wore black armbands in memory of the passing of Anthony Annan’s mother on Thursday back home as the opening half was quite subdued with John Boye and Hagui Karim, the only players to be booked by referee Alioum Neant.
However, two first half goals from John Mensah and Khalifa Sabeur ended the opening half 1-1 as both sides needed the remaining 45 minutes to determined who picked the sole semi-final spot to meet with Zambia in the last four.
After 90 minutes, the tie still remained undecided as the game travelled to extra-time. And ten minutes into the match, Ghana got the much needed lift to plan for the last four clash in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.
The first half saw goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey deny the Carthage Eagles the equalizer when he to raced off his line to clear out a poor back pass from Masahudu Alhassan.
Ghana captain Mensah, who returned to the starting line-up after missing two group games through suspension and injury, scored the Black Stars’ opening goal in the 9th minute when he nodded in from close range a flick by Andre Ayew from an Agyemang-Badu corner kick.
The goal, confirmed by official records as Ghana’s 100th goal in the history of the competition as the Black chased a place in Bata for the semi-final against Zambia.
Tunisia had a penalty appeal turned down in the 29th minute as the scoreline stayed at 1-0.
But Ghana were undone with a 41st minute equalizer as Khalifa Sabeur out-jumped Samuel Inkoom at the far post to nod past Kwarasey.
The second half started just like the opening half but a bit physical and the first victim of that was Mensah.
Mensah’s time on the pitch came to end in the 53rd minute when he went down injured and was replaced by Isaac Vorsah.
Sulley Muntari took over the captaincy but ten minutes later, he was taken off for Jordan Ayew as Goran Stevanovic made his second change.
A minute later, Asamoah Gyan, who had been quiet all evening, swiveled and let go a short which missed Mathlouthi Aynem’s goal by inches.
Andre Ayew almost found target in the 71st minute when he curled from a corner kick but Aynem was quick to parry over the bar for another corner which resulted in a foul against Ghana.
Gyan went close again from a close effort after being found by a Kwadwo Asamoah cross into the box but Aynem turned his tap-in away in the 74th minute.
Agyemang-Badu was second Ghana player to be booked for foul on Msakni after Annan had won possession.
Ghana were kept in the game with four minutes to normal time when Kwarasey had to push shot, aimed for the top corner from Jemma Issam to corner.
The extra-time started with Tunisia having a goal by Issam ruled out for an off-side.
In the 100th minute, an error by goalkeeper Aymen allowed Andre Ayew to tap in an easy ball for Ghana.
The final minutes saw Ghana dictate the pace of the game and played on the break.

Summary

Ghana 2 Tunisia 1 - African Nations Cup quarter-final result on Sunday.
After extra time

Scorers:
Ghana - John Mensah 10, Dede Ayew 101
Tunisia - Saber Khlifa 42
Red card: Aymen Abdennour (Tunisia) 108
Halftime: 1-1

Ghana: 16-Adam Kwarasey; 7-Samuel Inkoom, 21-John Boye, 5-John Mensah (15-Isaac Vorsah 53), 14-Masawudu Alhassan; 6-Anthony Annan, 8-Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, 10-Dede Ayew, 20-Kwadwo Asamoah; 11-Sulley Muntari (13-Jordan Ayew 64), 3-Asamoah Gyan (12-Prince Tagoe 100)

Tunisia: 16-Aymen Mathlouthi; 20-Aymen Abdennour, 3-Karim > Haggui, 2-Bilel Ifa (18-Anis Boussaidi 81), 12-Khelil Chammem; 6-Hocine Ragued, 21-Jamel Saihi (17-Issam Jemaa 69), 14-Mejdi Traoui, 15-Zouhair Dhaouadi (10-Oussama Darragi 106), 7-Youssef Msakni; 19-Saber Khlifa
Referee: Alioum Neant (Cameroon).