Ghana drew 1-1 with Guinea here Wednesday to finish top of Group D and qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals.

The Black Stars garnered seven points from three matches, while Mali also joined them in the last eight after they beat Botswana 2-1 in the other Group D match in Libreville.

Mali have six points, while Guinea crashed out of the competition on four points. Botswana finished pointless.

On Sunday, Ghana will tackle Tunisia in one of the quarterfinals, while co-hosts Gabon take on Mali in the other in Libreville.

Against the run of play, Ghana went in front in the 28th minute through Emmanuel Badu with an unstoppable belter from outside the box.

He collected a short corner taken by Andre Ayew and from 20 yards he let fly to give goalkeeper Naby Yattara no chance.

It was Ghana’s 100th goal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Dashing left winger Abdoul Razzagui Camara drew Guinea level in first half stoppage time when his left-footed floater beat Ghana goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.

Guinea were reduced to 10 men after Bah Dioulde was sent off after being booked for second time for a cynical foul on John Pantsil.

Guinea coach Michel Dussuyer was furious with the handling of the match by the South African referee Daniel Bennett, saying a great team like Ghana did not need the help of the match official to qualify for the last eight.

"Ghana are a great team but they did not need the help of the referee to qualify for the quarter-final," blasted Dussuyer.

"I’m disappointed and angry because in the first half all the fouls were against us and the first yellow card Bah (Dioulde) got was not supposed to be.

"And when then you have to play 10 against 11, it was always going to be very, very difficult for us."

Ghana assistant coach, Kwesi Appiah admitted it was a tough match but was delighted they finished top of the group to stay put in Franceville.

"Guinea are a good team and we knew it was never going to be easy against them," Appiah said.

"Tactically we played well and we finished top of our group."

Before the late rally by Ghana, Guinea controlled play as they chased an early goal.

They first threatened through the lively Camara after just three minutes. Ibrahima Traore too gave Masahudu Alhassan some concern on the right flank as Guinea stayed on the front foot.

On 10 minutes an appeal for a Guinea penalty after Traore appeared to have been brought down by Kwarasey inside the 18-yard box was ignored by the referee.

Guinea striker Sadio Diallo missed with a header from a 23rd minute corner and two minutes later, the dangerous Traore put the ball in the Ghana net but his effort was rightly ruled offside.

Ghana launched a late rally in the final minutes of the first half.

Bennett turned down a penalty appeal by Ghana in the 40th minute after Asamoah Gyan had been pushed over by Guinea skipper Kamil Zayatte inside the box.

Ghana’s Samuel Inkoom also came close to scrambling home a rebound after some determined work by Gyan in the closing moments of the first half.

Eight minutes after the break, Kwarasey whipped the ball off the feet of Bangoura as the game opened up.

On the hour, Diallo fired wide off a corner when he was well positioned inside the goal area as Guinea kept up the poressure but it was to be to no avail.