Game 1: Host In Super Eagles Out
Ten man Ghana crush the super eagle 2-1, to be the first team to qualify for the Semi-Final of the 26th MTN African Cup of Nations being held in Ghana.
Though expectations of Ghanaians were very high from the beginning of the match, the Black Stars failed to punch holes in the Nigerian defence despite their superior possession.
Algerian referee Benouza Mohammed pointed to the penalty spot, after Eric Addo had uprooted Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the Ghanaian box. Yakubu converted the susbequent kick perfectly in the 34th, beating Richard Kingston with a ground shot to the far right corner of the net.
As the Nigerians appeared to gain in confidence, Ghana's Quincy Owusu Abeyie won the ball on the left and floated a teasing cross into the Nigerian goal area. Michael Essien leapt high and delivered a glancing header, which hit the right upright of the Nigerian goal before traveling to hit the bottom of the net on the other side as Ghana drew level on the stroke of the added time of the first half.
On 82 minutes, the gangling substitute danced on the left and picked up Sulley Muntari with a clever pass near the left corner of the Nigerian penalty box Muntari shot across goal and Junior Agogo, hooked it in to give the hosts the lead.
Game 2: Ivory Coast In Guinea Out
Salomon Kalou scored twice to fire Ivory Coast into the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup with a convincing 5-0 win against Guinea.Abdelkader Keita sent the Elephants on their way in the 25th minute but the west African side had to wait until the 70th minute before they added a second, through Didier Drogba.
After that the floodgates opened with Kalou scoring two tap-ins and substitute Bakari Kone smashing in a fantastic strike in the last 17 minutes.
Guinea has now gone out at the quarter-final stage in the last three tournaments, but they matched their opponents for much of the game.
Souleymane Youla fired Fode Mansare's cross just wide and Mamadou Dioulde Bah tried his luck with a curling shot straight at Boubacar Barry before Ivory Coast broke the deadlock.
Drogba made no mistake when he held off Kamil Zayatte's challenge and sidefooted under Camara minutes later and Kalou added a third soon after when he collected Drogba's through-ball, dummied past Camara and walked the ball into the goal.
Guinea capitulated in the final 10 minutes and Kalou made it four when he tapped home Yaya Toure's pull-back. Kone compounded Guinea's misery in the 86th minute when he unleashed a first-time strike into the top corner.
