Home hopes end but Ghana still alive

Libreville: Home hopes crumbled for Gabon in the lottery of a penalty shootout at the African Nations Cup on Sunday but Ghana’s hopeful search to end a long drought at the finals continued.

Mali beat co-hosts Gabon 5-4 on post-match kicks after extra time in Libreville to douse the passion of an expectant populace in first of the day’s quarter-final encounters. The match ended 1-1 as Mali equalised just six minutes from the end.

Ghana, seeking their first Nations Cup title in 30 years, won the later game in the provincial town of Franceville, beating Tunisia 2-1 after extra time courtesy of a goalkeeping howler.