Ghana's Sulley Ali Muntari was overcome by emotions moments after the end of the Black Stars' 2-1 quarter final victory over Nigeria in Accra on Sunday.

The creative left footer shed uncontrollable tears at the post match conference and needed coach Claude Le Roy by his side to console him.

Clad in a warm up jersey and a white towel, the Portsmouth player attracted attention with his tears of joy.

Muntari described the match as ''a very difficult game'', saying ''they (Nigeria) are a good side and we needed every drop of strength to defeat them today."

The player said the team had to accept added responsibility when their captain, John Mensah, was sent off, to ensure the victory and keep alive their hopes of a fifth Nations Cup title.

"When John was sent off, we came together and encouraged ourselves, reminding each other that we had a responsibility to respond well because the entire nation was depending on us," Muntari said.

"When the coach asked me to move to the middle after the red card, I told myself that now I have to be playing the role of three people and that I needed to throw everything into the game," he added.

Mensah was sent off while the game was still tied at 1-1, with about 30 minutes remaining, and Muntari was very instrumental to the winning goal scored by Manuel Junior Agogo.