Nottingham Forest's Junior Agogo was the hero, sending the packed crowd in Accra into raptures with the winning goal eight minutes from time.

Everton striker Yakubu had put the Nigerians ahead against the run of play after 34 minutes. Ikechukwu Uche was fouled in the penalty area and Yakubu slotted home the resultant spot kick.

However, the host nation hit back on the stroke of half-time with Chelsea's Michael Essien powering home a header which went in off the post.

Ghana's hopes took a dent shortly after the interval when captain John Mensah was shown a red card for a professional foul on Peter Odemwingie.

However, Ghana steeled themselves and with just eight minutes remaining Sulley Muntari centred and Agogo stabbed home from close range.

In Sunday's other last-eight tie, Ivory Coast booked their place in the semi-finals with a thumping 5-0 win over Guinea.

Kader Keita gave Ivory Coast the lead. The tournament favourites then began to exert their dominance on proceedings as the match progressed and Salomon Kalou and Aruna Dindane should have doubled their lead before Didier Drogba produced a finishing masterclass on 70 minutes, bursting into the box before opening up his body and coolly slotting home.

Just two minutes later his Chelsea team-mate Kalou was left all alone to simply stroll it home.

With the Ivory Coast now threatening to score every time they broke forward it came as no surprise when Yaya Toure's fine run down the left resulted in Kalou tapping into an empty net on 81 minutes and Bakary Kone compounded their misery further with a fine fifth three minutes from time.