Guinea have overcome a lot to reach the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup, so much in fact that they might feel it is written in the stars that they should advance to this year's final.

They take on fellow west African side Ghana in the last eight in Malabo on Sunday having come through a difficult pool that also included Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Mali.

Their hardships started in the qualifiers when the Ebola pandemic meant they had to play their 'home' games outside of their own country and in Africa, where home-ground advantage is so key, this was a huge disadvantage.

All through it there was a stigma attached to the team because of the way Ebola had ravaged their country and wherever they went received little in the way of support and goodwill.

At the finals their three drawn Group D games meant they had to go to a drawing of lots with Mali for the final quarter-final place and got a big slice of luck when they were chosen ahead of the Maliens.

The team's star, Kevin Constant, who briefly quit the national side last October after a disagreement with teammates and the national association, says this competition is about a lot more than just football for his side, it is about changing the image of the country.

"In Guinea, Ebola has hurt us, but through football and through this competition, we have the opportunity to show the world that Guinea is not only Ebola," he told reporters, before going on to praise their opponents Ghana.

These two sides met in the qualifiers for these finals when the Black Stars won 3-1 at home and drew 1-1 away.

"They are a great team and they have great players, but we will do our best," Constant said. "We know Ghana and they know us, but we will try."

Guinea will be without defender Florentin Pogba, who is out for the rest of the tournament through injury.

Most Ghana fans seem certain their side will breeze past Guinea, but their star Andre Ayew thinks otherwise and has warned his teammates against complacency.

"I will try and do better every game, because I know that when I do well it helps the team and so as (Asamoah) Gyan, Jordan (Ayew) and the rest of the players, so we will up our game," Ayew told reporters. "We will not be swollen headed, but will fight harder."