Africa Cup of Nations Day 9
Guinea 1 Namibia 1, Ghana 2 Morocco 0
Ghana only needed a draw to win the group, but brushed aside a Morocco team that looked a shadow of the side that swept aside Namibia 5-1 in their first game.
Essien opened the scoring after 25 minutes thanks to a clever free-kick move, with Muntari floating the ball into the box for the Chelsea midfielder to run onto and strike past goalkeeper Nadir Lamyaghri.
Morocco had a goal controversially disallowed when defender John Paintsil headed into his own net but Ghana made their situation more comfortable in the last minute of the half. Essien returned the compliment, setting up Muntari for a simple near-post finish after a powerful run into the Morocco penalty area.
Ghana controlled the game in the second half with the outstanding Essien firing only just over the bar with a thunderous shot from long distance but the Black Stars could not increase the margin of victory.
Ghana know they must improve further if they are to win the tournament and nowhere is this more true than up front. Junior Agogo is fast becoming a hero figure thanks to his pace, power and workrate but the finishing skills of him and Udinese's Asamoah Gyan have been found wanting on too many occasions. Apart from their prolific midfield, Ghana do not boast great strength in depth and will be glad to have Laryea Kingston back from suspension for their quarter final against Ivory Coast, Mali or Nigeria.
Morocco promised so much after their storming win in their first match but their troop of talented forward players in Chamakh, Mokhtari, Hadji, Sektioui and Aboucherouane are not balanced by a strong defence and they have missed their hat-trick hero Soufiane Alloudi, who has been injured since the 5-1 thrashing of Namibia.
Guinea finish second at the north Africans' expense despite a tame 1-1 draw with group minnows Namibia in Sekondi. Early chances in an Ismaël Bangoura volley and a Daouda Jabi free-kick weren't taken and it took over an hour for Guinea to take the lead when Souleymane Youla's low angled shot beat goalkeeper Atheil Mbaha.
Namibia, whose midfielder Collin Benjamin wasted a golden chance in the first half, rarely threatened but a determined run from Brian Brendell allowed him to fire home from outside the area with ten minutes remaining. His second goal of the tournament confirms his status as by far Namibia's most dangerous player and means Namibia go home matching their one point tally of their only other Cup of Nations appearance in 1998, when they drew 3-3 with Angola in Burkina Faso.
Guinea will play the winner of tomorrow's match between Ivory Coast and Mali (or the Ivorians if it is drawn) in Tamale but will continue to miss their talismanic playmaker Pascal Feindouno, who must serve a three-match suspension following his stupid sending off for violent conduct in the win over Morocco - still the only dismissal of a tournament largely played in good spirit.
Meanwhile, Senegal's Polish coach Henryk Kasperczak has quit following the Teranga Lions' 3-1 defeat to Angola yesterday, although the side are not yet out of the tournament, saying "I assume all responsibility for the poor showing."
Senegal were expected to beat Angola but a brilliant performance from Manchester Utd striker Manucho inspired a second half comeback for the surprise 2006 World Cup qualifiers.
Senegal can still progress under assistant coach Lamine Ndiaye if they beat South Africa and Angola beat Tunisia on Thursday, although they will need to overturn a deficit of four in the goal difference column.
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