Gabon target Tunisia scalp

Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Gabon are determined to beat Tunisia and avoid a quarter-final against favourites Ghana.

World Cup quarter-finalists in 2010, continental heavyweights Ghana will guarantee top spot in Group D with a point from their match against Guinea on Wednesday.

Gabon coach Gernot Rohr says the best outcome for his team in the knockout stages is to avoid the Black Stars, who have won both of their group games to date.

“We want to avoid Ghana, so we would like to finish top,” he said.

“That would mean also playing our quarter-final in Libreville, in this wonderful L’Amitie stadium with its fantastic crowd.”

“If we come in as runners-up we would have to go to Equatorial Guinea if we make it into the semi-finals. We will play Tunisia to win, but a draw will be sufficient as we have better goal difference than them.”

Gabon are ranked 77th in the world and 16th in Africa, but have played some impressive football at the tournament, especially in their second group game, a 2-0 win over Niger.

Still, Rohr is cautioning his team not to get ahead of themselves.

“We’re not pretending to be Brazil, we’re a very humble bunch, we have lots to improve, we have to keep our feet on the ground,” he said.

Gabon’s match against Tunisia is on Tuesday, a battle that will decide which team claims first place in Group D.