Home support key to Gabon

Coach Gernot Rohr has described the rousing atmosphere in the Gabonese capital's new stadium as a major catalyst in their group wins and said he expects the backing of the 45,000-strong crowd to be vital again as the co-hosts seek to reach the last four for the first time.

They are up against former coach Alain Giresse, who was in charge of Gabon at the last Nations Cup in 2010 and has transformed Mali since taking over some 20 months ago.

Ghana start as overwhelming favourites against Tunisia in the last of the weekend's quarter-finals in the provincial town of Franceville later on Sunday.

Ghana were Nations Cup runners-up two years ago and World Cup quarter-finalists but have not won the African title in 30 years.

The winner of the Franceville encounter take on Zambia in Wednesday's semi-final in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

Zambia beat Sudan 3-0 in Saturday's opening quarter-final tie.

The reward for the winner of the Gabon-Mali game is a meeting with Ivory Coast in Libreville on Wednesday. The Ivorians, with two goals from Didier Drogba, beat co-hosts Equatorial Guinea 3-0 in their quarter-final in Malabo on Saturday.