GHANA, MALI HIZOOOOOOOO ROBO FAINALI AFCON ITAKUWA TAMU AJE!

Asamoah Gyan took centre stage as Ghana finally announced themselves as genuine title contenders at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-0 win over Niger on Monday to top Group B and cruise into the quarter-finals.

Captain and striker Gyan was at the heart of Ghana's flowing victory, giving them lead in the sixth minute, setting up Christian Atsu in the 23rd and playing a major role in a third from John Boye early in the second half.

Gyan's slow start to the tournament had mirrored Ghana's sluggish early performances, but the four-time champion's title credentials were undeniable at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium against a Niger defense that had conceded just once previously in the group.

Give me a hug: Asamoah Gyan celebrates his goal with head coach Kwesi Appiah

MATCH FACTS

Niger: Daouda, Kourouma, Bachard (Kader 60), Dankwa, Chicoto, Koudize (Boubacar 61), Soumaila, Lancina, Talatou, Maazou,
Sidibe (Dante 79).

Subs Not Used: Alzouma, James, Laouali, Kamilou, Sakou, Alassane, William.

Booked: Koudize, Chicoto, Dankwa, Soumaila.

Ghana: Dauda, Pantsil, Boye, Vorsah, Afful, Agyemang-Badu, Rabiu (Derek Boateng 72), Adomah (Asante 63), Asamoah, Atsu, Gyan (Clottey 78).

Subs Not Used: Agyei, Richard Boateng, Awal, Annan, Akaminko, Boakye, Mensah.

Booked: Agyemang-Badu.

Goals: Gyan 6, Atsu 23, Boye 49.

Att: 10,000.

Ref: Badara Diatta (Senegal).

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Ghana now play debutant Cape Verde in the quarters, while Mali qualified second from the group after drawing 1-1 with Congo to set up a last-eight game against hosts South Africa.

Gyan's bullet shot rocked Niger early in Port Elizabeth and his floated cross for Atsu to double the lead effectively ended Niger's slim hopes of qualifying inside 25 minutes of the encounter. Gyan's dominant header from a free kick eventually led to Boye making it 3-0 four minutes into the second half.

Ghana had been unconvincing in their two previous games in South Africa, letting slip a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw with Congo and just edging Mali 1-0.

But Monday's performance showed the Black Stars' attacking threat in abundance, with Gyan, young Porto midfielder Atsu and another newcomer, Albert Adomah, all impressive.

Gyan could have easily had a hat-trick, and more, after hitting a close-range shot straight at Niger goalkeeper Kassaly Daouda in the second half and then pushing a volley from Adomah's cross off target straight after.

Ghana had powered ahead when Adomah's cut back from the right wing found Gyan unmarked. The striker sent a powerful shot into the far left corner and then ran around behind the net, chased by his teammates, to celebrate his first goal of the tournament.

An immediate response from Niger was ruled out by Senegalese referee Badara Diatta for a foul on goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda by Niger skipper Moussa Maazou before the ball bobbled into the back of the net.

Cruising: Christian Atsu doubled Ghana's lead in the 23rd minute

Gyan was at the centre of Ghana's near-constant attacking threat, and hit a free kick straight at Daouda in the 22nd minute before creating Atsu's goal a minute later. The skipper again pulled away from his marker, this time down the left, and floated a cross to the back post for Atsu to chest down and poke past Daouda for 2-0.

Gyan turned to the large contingent of noisy Ghana fans and punched his chest before chasing away after Atsu.

Maazou's cross from the right just eluded center forward Sidibe Modibo in the 35th in one of Niger's best openings in the first half.

Close range: John Boye scored Ghana's third goal to wrap up an easy win

But Ghana came straight back and Emmanuel Agyemang Badu found more wide open space in Niger's desperately stretched defense to force a good one-handed save from Daouda at the near post just before halftime.

Boye scrambled in the third goal and sealed Niger's elimination after Gyan rose high at the back post to head a free kick down and off Daouda.

Maazou was Niger's only real attacking threat and he headed off target before Gyan missed his two good chances in the space of a minute.

The energetic Gyan also tried an acrobatic overhead kick - but didn't connect - as Ghana's talisman and his team convincingly found their feet in South Africa.

Colourful: Ghana fans were happy with what they saw from their team

Mali set up an Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal against host country South Africa by holding Congo to a 1-1 draw on Monday in their last group match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

With Ghana winning its game against Niger in Port Elizabeth 3-0 to top Group B, a draw was all Mali needed to secure second spot and knock Congo out.

After a furious start to the match that saw both sides score in the opening 14 minutes, the Eagles were able to stifle their opponents to a sufficient extent in a foul-ridden game.

Important: Mahamadou Samassa scored the equaliser which sent Mali through to the quarter finals

Early: Dieumerci Mbokani put DR Congo ahead with a third-minute penalty but it wasn't enough to prevent them from being eliminated

MATCH FACTS

DR Congo: Kidiaba, Mongongu, Kasusula, Issama, Zakuani, Mulumbu, Makiadi, Ilunga (Kabangu 86), Kaluyituka (Kanda 79),
Mbokani, LuaLua (Mputu 46).

Subs Not Used: Mandanda, Mabiala, Manzia, Zola, Mulemo, Mbemba, Luvumbu, Kisombe, Bakala.

Booked: Mulumbu, Makiadi.

Goals: Mbokani (pen) 3.

Mali: Mamadou Samassa, Diawara, Adama Coulibaly, Wague, Tamboura, Keita, Sissoko (Kalilou Traore 73), Sow, Samba Diakite (Sigamary Diarra 87),Mahamadou Samassa (Diabate 78), Maiga.

Subs Not Used: Soumaila Diakite, Idrissa Coulibaly,Cheick Diarra, Yatabare, Mahamane Traore, Salif Coulibaly, N'Diaye, Ousmane Coulibaly, Yirango.

Booked: Keita, Sow, Tamboura, Mamadou Samassa, Kalilou Traore.

Goals: Mahamadou Samassa 14.

Att: 8,000.

Ref: Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria).

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Congo striker Dieumerci Mbokani opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the opening minutes, only for Mahamadou Samassa to cancel the goal out in the 14th.

A good opening minute for Congo saw Lomana LuaLua hit the post after just 20 seconds, before the Leopards earned a penalty just 15 seconds later when Mohamed Sissoko brought down Yves Ilunga just inside the area.

Dieumerci Mbokani stepped up to convert the spot kick and allow Congo goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba to bring out his trademark celebration that became famous in the team's 2-2 draw with Ghana earlier in the tournament.

However, Mali quickly equalized when a poor clearance allowed Adama Tamboura to race to the byline before cutting the ball back for Mahamadou Samassa to equalise.

The rest of the first half lacked clear-cut chances, forcing Congo coach Claude Le Roy to gamble at the break as he replaced LuaLua with the injury-troubled forward Tresor Mputu.

Mputu made a bright start, and captain Youssouf Mulumbu nearly supplied the goal that Congo needed when he forced a fingertip save from Mali goalkeeper Mahamadou Samassa in the 69th minute.

Yet it was Mali who looked the more likely to score late on, with both Kalilou Traore and Cheick Diabate shaving the post within a minute of each other.

The draw meant Mali finished with four points, and they will take on South Africa at the same venue on Saturday.