Ghana are through to the finals of the African Nations Cup in Angola, alongside group B leaders, Ivory Coast.Ghana beat a 10-man Burkina Faso 1-0 here on Tuesday to join the Ivorians, who are leaders in the Group with five points while the Black Stars got three points to move on.
The World Cup qualifiers and four-time continental champions will now face hosts Angola here at the 11 November stadium on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals.
After their opening 3-1 defeat to favourites Ivory Coast this was a must win game for Ghana if they weren’t to be sent home in disgrace. And Andre Ayew, son of one of Africa’s most decorated players, Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew, scored the only goal to secure a second round berth for his country.
Ghana suffered a major eve-of-match blow with Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien’s having to pull out with a right knee injury picked up in training on Sunday – though he was on hand to watch, from the stands, his team-mates triumph.
Serb coach Milovan Rajevac, who made four changes from the side that fell 3-1 to Ivory Coast, had already suffered a raft of injuries to key members of his squad.
Burkina Faso only required a draw to see them go through after a tight defensive strategy had harvested one point in their goalless opener against Ivory Coast.