Burkina Faso booked their place in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations by beating Ghana on penalties in their semi-final.
Ghana took an early lead through a Mubarak Wakaso penalty, but Aristide Bance leveled the scores in the second half, ensuring that there would be extra time.
Prejuce Nakoulma had an effort disallowed during the extra half hour, and Jonathan Pitroipa was dismissed after picking up his second yellow card.
However, Ghana missed three of their five penalties during the shootout, ensuring that Burkina Faso will meet Nigeria on Sunday.
Read how all the action unfolded below:
Good evening! With around half-an-hour to kickoff, let's take a look at the teams for the second of the semi-finals.
BURKINA FASO STARTING XI: Daouda Diakite, Mohamed Koffi, Bakary Kone, Paul Koulibaly, Mady Panandetiguiri, Djakaridja Kone, Charles Kabore, Florent Rouamba, Prejuce Nakoulma, Jonathan Pitroipa, Aristides Bance
GHANA STARTING XI: Fatau Dauda, John Pantsil, Isaac Vorsah, John Boye, Harrison Afful, Emmanuel Agyemang Bade, Rabiu Mohammen, Kwadwo Asamoah, Christian Atsu, Mubarak Wakaso, Asamoah Gyan
The big news for Ghana is the inclusion of Mubarak Wakaso. The Espanyol midfielder scored a brace off the bench in the quarter-final against Cape Verde.
Mohamed Koffi had been a concern for Burkina Faso after training separately from the team earlier in the week, but he has proved his fitness and is included in the starting lineup.
A big factor this evening could be the much-discussed Nelspruit pitch. The turf at the Mbombela Stadium has been heavily laden with sand throughout the tournament, causing all sorts of the problems for the teams that have played there. This could benefit the Burkina Faso players, as all of their matches so far have been at the facility.
In case you missed it earlier, the winner of tonight's game will face Nigeria in the final on Sunday, after they cruised past Mali, beating them 4-1.
Ahead of the match, Burkina Faso coach Paul Put told reporters: "Ghana is another challenge but we're going to approach it in the same way as the other games.
"To be on the same level is not easy but we'll try to get the most fit players on the pitch.
"We have the quality to compete with every team in this tournament. But we need focus and determination."
Kewsi Appiah, the Ghana coach, said: "I think Burkina Faso's midfield and defence are strong, considering they've only lost one goal and they've got some glimpses of good attacking.
"I believe a couple of the players that we've got means we can perform better than we have so far."
This match should be a fairly close and defensive one. Both have been very tidy at the back so far during this tournament. The bookmakers have Ghana as the marginal favourites.
It's not the biggest crowd of the tournament, but the fans that have turned out are taking is seriously, there's plenty of facepaint and banners in the crowd to help the fans show their allegiances.
The players are making their way out onto the pitch ready for the national anthems before kickoff.
Burkina Faso have never made the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, while Ghana have on four previous occasions, but are without a title since 1982.
With the anthems over, the teams are lined up and ready to go.
Burkina Faso kick the first half off.
A physical start by Burkina Faso sees Bakary Kone bundle Asamoah Gyan, who is sporting a particularly eye-catching hairstyle, to the ground, conceding a free kick.
CHANCE! The ball falls to Aristides Bance on the edge of the area, but his strike goes wide.
Both sides still seem to be adjusting to the quality of the pitch at Nelspruit. Neither have been able to keep possession for more than a few passes, with the ball bouncing unpredictably along the sandy turf.
PENALTY APPEAL! Jonathan Pitroipa is pushed down inside the penalty area by John Boye, but the referee waves the Burkina Faso striker's appeal away. Boye didn't seem to get anything on the ball, it wouldn't have been a shock to have seen that given.
John Pantsil is on the ground in agony. He was chasing the ball towards the goalline when he reached for the back of his thigh before falling to the ground. Unfortunately for the former Fulham and West Ham defender, it looks like a hamstring injury, and he's being lifted on to the stretcher.
SUBSTITUTION! Pantsil has now been stretchered off, Solomon Asante taking his place. It's always a shame to see a player have to leave a game through injury, particularly so early on.
PENALTY! Ghana are awarded a spot kick, as Panandetiguiri makes contact with Atsu.
GOAL! Burkina Faso 0-1 Ghana (Wakaso)
Mubarak Wakaso clinically dispatches the penalty to give Ghana the lead. The Burkina Faso players are livid with the referee, there was very little contact between the two players, less than at the other end when Pitroipa was brought down a few minutes earlier.
Up until the penalty, Burkina Faso had had the brighter start of the two teams, there previous time on the pitch paying dividends. It doesn't look like they've let their heads drop too much through.
CHANCE! Some good build-up play by Burkina Faso leads to a shot for Jonathan Pitroipa. The striker tries to volley the ball, but it's blocked and the ball goes out for a corner, which Ghana clear with ease.
BOOKING! Rabiu Mohammed is booked for pulling down Prejuce Nakoulma, who had made a brilliant run down the wing for Burkina Faso.
Kabore curls the free kick around the wall, but it's Ghana who get on the ball first, clearing it away from the penalty area.
CHANCE! Wakaso looks for his second with a curling strike from range. The shot finishes low, making it tricky for Diakite in the Burkina Faso goal, but the keeper manages to gather it.
Burkina Faso win another free kick, which Kabore curls towards the Ghana goal, but it's put out for a corner. The delivery is deep, and falls to Nakoulma on the edge of the area. He controls the ball well, but puts it just wide of the post.
Asamoah Gyan makes a run for Ghana, but he loses control of the ball due to a couple of irregular bobbles on the sandy pitch, and Burkina Faso get the ball away.
CHANCE! Bance slides the ball out wide to Nakoulma, who hits the ball on the half-volley, but the ball goes well wide. He's had a few chances from distance now.
Kabore fires the ball forward for Bance, but some close marking from the Ghana back four means he can't get control of the ball. It's all Burkina Faso at the minute.
CHANCE! Asamoah Gyan has only the keeper to beat after timing his run perfectly to beat the offside trap set by Burkina Faso, but he takes too long to go for his shot, leaving himself an impossible angle, allowing Diakite to block his effort.
CHANCE! Kabore fires the ball forward for Nakoulma, who makes a brilliant run towards the Ghana goal, but he slices his shot, and it blasts high in to the stands.
PENALTY APPEAL! Agyemang is brought down in the Ghana penalty area by Koulibaly. The Burkina Faso defender doesn't get anything on the ball, it looked more of a penalty than Ghana's earlier spot kick, but this time the referee waves the appeal away.
Ghana had been starting to see a little more of the ball, but Burkina Faso are back on the attack now, Pitroipa looking to feed the ball through to Bance on the edge of the Ghana penalty area, but Boye manages to head to ball away.
CHANCE! Ghana take the ball down the sideline before crossing it in to the area, where it falls to Asante, but the substitute gets a poor contact on the ball, and it's blasted well high of the crossbar.
Rabiu Mohammed has taken a knock to the head, so the referee has stopped the game while he receives some treatment, but he looks to be alright.
Ghana seem to be trying to keep possession, and therefore keep their lead, to the break. They seem happy just to hold the ball in midfield, with plenty of players around the ball.
Nakoulma gets the ball in sight of the Ghana goal yet again, but this time he looks for support, picking out Pitroipa, but the midfielder is being well marked, and Ghana get the ball away.
Burkina Faso are finishing strongly, Kabore looking for Nakoulma again, but he fails to get the ball through the back four.
HALF TIME: Burkina Faso 0-1 Ghana
So, Ghana head in to the tunnel with a one-goal lead after the first half of this Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
The scoreline seems harsh on Burkina Faso, they've definitely created the better chances so far, have looked more comfortable with the pitch conditions, and arguably should have had a penalty.
It was a particularly interesting half for the referee. Slim Jdidi had to judge three penalty appeals in the first 45 minutes. Going on the TV replays, it looks like the only one he awarded was actually the only one that should not have been given.
Mubarak Wakaso's spot kick was brilliantly taken, giving Diakite no chance in the Burkina Faso goal. Asamoah Gyan ande Solomon Asanta both spurned chances to double Ghana's advantage.
At the other end of the pitch, Prejuce Nakoulma has caused all sorts of problems for the Ghana defence, shooting from all distances. However, he hasn't given Fatau Dauda too much to worry about in the Ghana goal.
The players are heading back out for the second half.
Ghana get the second half underway.
Ghana have made a bright start to the second half, forcing a corner inside the opening minute. However, some physical play from Asamoah sees the ball handed back to Burkina Faso.
SUBSTITUTION! Derek Boateng is on for Rabiu Mohammed. Rather unusual to see a change two minutes in to the second half rather than at half time.
Burkina Faso looks to catch out the Ghana new boy, immediately going on the attack before Boateng is in position, but his teammates fill in well, and play the ball back down the other end of the pitch.
Burkina Faso are pushing for an early equaliser, but Bance is penalised for a collision with Asamoah, gifting possession back to Ghana.
Pitroipa makes a brilliant run down the wing with Kabore and Nakoulma waiting in front of goal, but his cross is put behind for a corner.
CHANCE! The corner is delivered to the box, and Bance climbs up for the header. Somehow, Fatau Dauda manages to claw the ball out of the net, just preventing the goal.
Isaac Vorsah has been the main marker of Jonathan Pitroipa this evening, but he hasn't been able to cope with the Burkina Faso player's pace at all. A number of chances have come from crosses from Pitoipa from the right wing.
CHANCE! The ball breaks for Ghana, and Asamoah Gyan finds himself through on goal. He smashes the ball from just outside the six-yard line, but the ball is parried back off the post.
CHANCE! Down the other end, Pitroipa slides the ball in towards the Ghana goal, but Kabore can't quite get on the end of it.
GOAL! Burkina Faso 1-1 Ghana (Bance)
A brilliant ball forward falls to the feet of Aristide Bance, who has had a strong start to the second half, and he fires the ball superbly past Dauda, who is rooted to the spot and can only watch as the ball flies past him.
The goal seems to have increased the urgency in both teams. Ghana might have been thinking that one goal would be enough, while Burkina Faso look keen to capitalise while they're getting the majority of the possession.
Nakoulma does brilliantly not to lose the ball while surrounded by four Ghana defenders, eventually getting the ball to Kabore, who returns it as Nakoulma breaks in to the box, but Badu gets to the ball first and gets the ball away.
CHANCE! Pitroipa moves to the left wing and finds himself through on goal. He takes a shot but it goes just wide, but the offside flag was also up against Bance.
BOOKING! Pitroipa gets a yellow card for what was essentially a catch. The Burkina Faso winger controls the ball between his arms before attempting to push on towards the Ghana goal, but it was spotted by the assistant referee.
Ghana are pressing up the pitch again, Asante looking for support on the edge of the penalty area before losing the ball, but Ghana win it back, they look keen to regain the lead.
Ghana almost catch Burkina Faso out with a quick free kick. Kone has the chance to clear but lets it go, much to the annoyance of his keeper, but the ball goes behind for a goal kick.
BOOKING! Derek Boateng gets a yellow card for a foul on Pitroipa, giving Burkina Faso a free kick in a dangerous position.
Bance takes the kick from 30 yards out. He goes directly for goal, and manages to clear the wall with ease, but his effort doesn't quite dip enough, going just over the crossbar, although it looked like Dauda would have had it covered.
Bance needs some treatment after a clash of heads with Boye. A few second with an ice pack and he's ready to carry on.
CHANCE! Atsu gets himself in to a dangerous position for Ghana, but Rouamba manages to block the ball, putting it behind for a corner, which is eventually forced behind for a goal kick.
It looks like there has been a but of afters following the corner, Asamoah Gyan making all sorts of gestures to the referee.
BOOKING! Paul Koulibaly appears to have lashed out after the ball had gone out, kicking Gyan in the groin, and he may be lucky to only be shown a yellow for that move.
It's starting to get a little bit scrappy at the minute, causing the referee to have to get more involved. With extra time looming, neither side will want to find themselves a man short.
Pitroipa picks out Nakoulma again, but Nakoulma passes the ball back to the winger, catching him off guard, and he can't control the ball in time.
Mohamed Koffi pulls up with some pain in his right leg. He's already got a lot of tape on the leg. It looks like it may have just been a touch of cramp, as he's ok to continue after a moment or two's rest.
CHANCE! From nothing, Atsu manages to force a brilliant save from Diakite. The Burkina Faso keeper parries the ball back in to play, but his back four manage to get the ball away, setting Pitroipa free on a counter attack.
Harrison Afful looks to have picked up an injury as he limps towards the sidelines. Ghana have already used two substitutes, while Burkina Faso have all three still in tact. That could be crucial if the game does head in to an extra 30 minutes.
As we head in to the final two minutes it looks increasingly like there will be extra time to decide who joins Nigeria in the final. That said, Burkina Faso have twice scored in the 95th minute earlier in the tournament, so it's not over yet.
Ghana have a free kick, but it's delayed as Koffi is still struggling with his right leg, and he needs to be stretchered off the pitch.
SUBSTITUTION! Henri Traore is on in place of the injured Koffi
Mubarak Wakaso takes a free kick for Ghana, but it's a poor one, and goes out on the sideline, in what should be the final attacking move of 90 minutes.
FULL TIME: Burkina Faso 1-1 Ghana
Extra time beckons as the sides finish level after 90 minutes. It looks like Burkina Faso were expecting it, their only change has been forced by injury to Koffi, while Ghana can make just one more change, and have some very weary looking players on the pitch.
If either team have looks like taking the win it's Burkina Faso. Ghana were pushing hard towards the end of the match, but they looked tired, and couldn't make the most of the opportunities they created.
Burkina Faso have already played 120 minutes once this tournament, needing extra time to get past Togo in the quarter-finals.
Extra time is underway.
Burkina Faso are on the attack early on, but lose the ball to their opponents, with Gyan picking up the ball in the Burkina Faso penalty area, but the ball is cleared.
Mady Panandetiguiri is showing signs of fatigue, losing his footing as he runs with the ball towards the Ghana goal. Tiredness will almost certainly be a factor during this extra half hour.
CHANCE! Afful gets forward and takes a shot for Ghana, forcing a good save from Diakite. The save results in a corner, which Burkina Faso clear with ease.
CHANCE! Burkina Faso immediately have a shot at the other end of the pitch, Nakoulma going for a header, but Dauda is alert in the Ghana goal and makes the stop.
Pitroitpa takes the ball down the wing towards the Ghana box, with Bance waiting in front of goal, but he has company, and is forced in to knocking the ball out.
CHANCE! Burkina Faso win a corner, and Kabore floats the delivery in to Bakary Kone, but the pace on the ball seems to catch him out, and he heads over.
Asamoah crosses the ball in towards the Burkina Faso goal, and his has teammates waiting in the box, but the ball goes behind, giving Burkina Faso a goal kick.
CHANCE! Bance breaks down the left wing, wrong-footing Vorsah to get a clear shot on goal, but he puts far too much behind the ball, and it flies in to the stands.
SUBSTITUTION! Ghana make their final change of the game, taking off Mubarak Wakaso for Emmanuel Clottey. Clottey is a recognised striker. Given how good Wakaso's penlty was earlier, Ghana clearly don't want penalties.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Nakoulma gets the ball in the back of the net, but it's ruled out by the referee
It's a late decision by the officials, but they wipe Nakoulma's goal off the score board. His foot was very high and near to Dauda, but it didn't make contact with the Ghana goalie. Another controversial decision from the Tunisian ref.
CHANCE! Burkina Faso thread the ball to Bance on the edge of the area, but his shot goes high again. Ghana are holding on at the moment, it's been all Burkina Faso since the start of extra time, and they clearly believe they should have the lead.
Gyan is injured after a heavy landing. He's gone off for treatment but Ghana have already made their three changes, so he'll have to come back on or leave his side down a man.
CHANCE! Bance forces Daudo to tip the ball over the crossbar with a fantastic strike from the edge of the area. He gets another chance moments later, but somehow the Ghanian goalkeeper manages to keep the ball out again.
Bance has been mighty since half time. The FC Ausburg striker has had eight shots and one goal for Burkina Faso.
CHANCE! Koulibaly goes for an ambitious shot from well outside the penalty area, but it is on target and need a good save from Dauda, who puts it over for a corner.
RED CARD! Jonathan Pitroipa is booked for diving in penalty area. It's his second yellow of the game, and he's off.
Looking at the replays, there was clear contact between the Ghanaian defender and Pitroipa. Somehow Pitoipa manages a smile as he heads off the pitch. It's been an odd display from the referee this evening.
CHANCE! Atsu fires the ball in to Gyan, but he doesn't get enough contact with the ball, and it heads out, and we're less than a minute from penalties.
CHANCE! Kabore passes the ball forward to Bance, who has to work hard to control the ball, but he manages to get the shot away only to see it fly high of the crossbar.
END OF EXTRA TIME: Burkina Faso 1-1 Ghana
Ghana were hanging on at times during the extra half hour, and were lucky to see a Burkina Faso goal disallowed and not to concede a penalty.
There'll be plenty of penalties now though, as the semi-final will be decided with a shoot out.
Burkina Faso will not be happy to be without Pitroipa, who would surely have been one of the takers, but Ghana are without Wakaso, who took a brilliant penalty in the seventh minute, which feels like a very long time ago now.
Both teams are in huddles as they prepare for the spot kicks, there are nerves on the faces of players from both teams.
*Burkina Faso 0-0 Ghana - Isaack Vorsah's effort goes well wide for Ghana
Burkina Faso 1-0* Ghana Kone nets for Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso *1-1 Ghana Atsu's kick is good
Burkina Faso 2-1* Ghana Traore just squeezes it under the keeper
Burkina Faso *2-2 Ghana Afful finds the corner to get the better of Diakite
Burkina Faso 2-2* Ghana Koulibaly's effort is easily saved by Dauda, with the shot lacking direction or pace.
Burkina Faso *2-2 Ghana Clottey pulls the ball wide of the post
Burkina Faso 3-2* Ghana Bance cooly slots the ball in, and Ghana must score the next penalty to stay in the game
Burkina Faso *3-2 Ghana Badu's shot is blocked by Diakite
BURKINA FASO ARE THROUGH TO THE FINAL
Ghana missed three of their five spot kicks in the shootout to hand Burkina Faso the spot in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
They will take on Nigeria on Sunday in Johannesburg, in their first appearance in an Africa Cup of Nations final. They'll be missing Pitroipa though as he will serve a one-match ban for his sending off.
That's all from the Africa Cup of Nations this evening, join us again on Sunday when we'll have coverage of the final between Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Until then, good bye.
Written by
Sian Cowper
Sian Cowper
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