Gyan added to the tournament's impressive list of free kick goals with a 30 meter effort and his cheeky backheel set up a superb second for Dede Ayew in the Group D match in Franceville.

Although the goals were stylish, the performance itself was unconvincing and paled against Guinea's 6-1 demolition of 10-man debutants Botswana, who Ghana were lucky to beat 1-0 on Tuesday.

Guinea equaled Ivory Coast's 6-1 win over Ethiopia at the 1970 edition in Sudan for the biggest winning-margin in the tournament.

Unfortunately, few fans witnessed the double bill in the remote city deep in Gabon's forested interior as the stadium was once again half empty.

Ghana have won both their opening matches but, like co-favorites Ivory Coast, do not look as if they have fully got into gear.

They will, however, be relieved to have avoided the fate of Morocco and Senegal, surprisingly eliminated already in a tournament which has seen co-hosts Gabon and Equatorial Guinea qualify with a game to spare.

Senegal, who will be playing for pride in their final game against Libya in Bata on Sunday, began their post-mortem by appealing to their directors not to dismantle the team.

"There is no point in going in that direction, that will just add to errors," said the 33-year-old Olympique Marseille defender Souleymane Diawara.

African national teams operate in a highly volatile environment as Gabon coach Gernot Rohr has also discovered, the German failing to win over the critics despite their progress.

"I don't feel any vengeance against me but the people are impatient. They didn't really understand we wanted to create a young team that would work together and be united," he said after their stunning 3-2 win over Morocco.

"Maybe this result has come at the right time." Group D is the only one in which the top two places are still up for grabs.

Ghana, with six points, need a draw against Guinea, who have three, to guarantee reaching the quarter-finals while Mali, also on three, face the group's bottom side Botswana.

Slow-starting Ghana survived a first-half fright when Cheick Tidiane Diabate's freekick bounced off both posts before rebounding back into play as once runners-up and three-times beaten semi-finalists Mali looked capable of an upset.

United Arab Emirates-based Gyan had more luck with his effort just after the hour as it curled over the wall and flew into the top corner to put the Black Stars in front.

Shortly afterwards, he back-heeled the ball to Ayew who twisted past his marker and fired a low shot past Soumbeyla Diakite to clinch the points for the 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists.

In the first game, Sadio Diallo scored Guinea's first two goals followed by Abdoul Razzagui Camara and Ibrahim Traore, all before halftime, and two late efforts from Mamadou Dioulde Bah and substitute Naby Soumah.

Dipsy Selolwane had briefly made it 1-1 from a twice-taken penalty but Botswana played the entire second half with 10 men after Patrick Motsepe was sent off after for a dangerous tackle.

Guinea might have set a new mark had Pascal Feindouno's 55th minute effort that crossed the line after hitting the underside of the bar been awarded.

Zambia need a point on Sunday against already-qualified Equatorial Guinea in Malabo to guarantee a place in the last eight from Group A.

The co-hosts on Saturday announced that they had rewarded caretaker coach Gilson Paulo by giving him a one-year contract.