Michael Essien scored one goal and set up another on Monday, helping hosts Ghana reach the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations with a 2-0 win over Morocco.

Essien, a star midfielder with Chelsea of the English Premier League, scored in the 26th minute by running around the defensive wall and flicking the ball past goalkeeper Nadir Lamyaghri.

Michael Essien (8) battles for the ball in Ghana's 2-0 victory over Morocco.
(Alastair Grant/Associated Press)

Two minutes later, Ghana defender John Pantsil headed the ball into his own net from a Morocco cross, but Gambian referee Modou Sowe disallowed the goal, even though television replays did not appear to show either a foul or an offside.

Essien then burst through midfield in the 44th and passed to Muntari, who beat Lamyaghri at his near post.

The Atlas Lions keeper was slow to react to both of Ghana's goals.

Ghana finished at the top of Group A with nine points and next meets either Ivory Coast, Mali or Nigeria.

Guinea joined the Black Stars in the last eight with four points after a 1-1 draw against Namibia on Monday.

Superb saves

With Junior Agogo leading the forward line, Ghana could have scored more but Lamyaghri made two superb saves in quick succession.

First, he saved Asamoah Gyan's point-blank header and then tipped over another long distance strike from Essien.

Gyan climbed high and unleashed a stunning overhead kick in the 84th, but was denied again as the ball struck the crossbar and then bounced back off the post.

The match pitted two French coaches against each other, with Claude Le Roy in the Ghana dugout, and Henri Michel pacing around the technical zone nervously for Morocco.

Essien made a busy start, but was perhaps lucky to escape a yellow card when he followed through on a tackle and caught Badr El Kaddouri on the shin.

Shortly after, Essien was taken out by a brutal challenge from Elamin Erbate, who dived in with both feet and sent Essien up into the air.

Sowe only showed Erbate a yellow card.

From the ensuing free kick, Muntari's shot was heading for the top right corner until Morocco goalkeeper Lamyaghri.

Gyan then hit a low shot just wide as Morocco started to get on top and Youssef Hadji tested Richard Kingson from long range in the 43rd, after Morocco had weathered a spell of pressure which saw Muntari fire over from a narrow angle.