Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah has insisted the shambolic pitch in Nelspruit will not be a a distraction for his players.

Much of the grass had been killed by a fungus in the build-up to the tournament after recent heavy rains and had to have a coating of sand, leaving it hard and patchy and the players were not able to train on the pitch leading up to the match due to the rain.

"We need to compete whether the pitch is good or bad," he told reporters.

"My players are all professionals and used to different conditions. Back home in Ghana we play regularly on far worse pitches. We need to take our mind off the pitch issue."

Ghana have no injury worries as Anthony Annan and Richmond Yiadom Boakye should be fit for the match.

Burkina Faso midfielder Mohamed Koffi is trying to shake off an injury but should be fit for the match, while star Alain Traore is ruled out with a thigh injury.

Burkina Faso are looking to reach their first-ever Nations Cup final.

The Stallions last reached the semi-finals on home soil in 1998, when they were beaten by eventual winners Egypt.

Burkina Faso have played all five of their matches in the lead up to their surprise semi-final run at the venue and coach Paul Put has referred the match as a ‘home game’.

It’s always an advantage [having played on the pitch] but Ghana is also a technical team and a physical team as well,” Put said.

“But it’s still an advantage for us as we are playing in a ‘home’ game.

“Even though the pitch is very bad it’s our home stadium and we have nothing to lose as no one expected us to play in the semi-finals.”

Put says his players have adapted their game to suit the surface where the bounce of the ball can be very deceptive.

“It’s very difficult because you need one or two controls before you can play the ball, while on the training ground its only one touch.

Mali boss Patrice Carteron is buoyed by the ‘special spirit’ in his squad as they prepare for their quarterfinal matchup with Nigeria.

"We showed a very good mentality in the games against Ghana and Congo. A special spirit emerged and it made me feel better, stronger," he said ahead of Wednesday's semi-final at the Moses Mabhida stadium.

"When we started three weeks ago, most of my players had not played for a while. We knew it would be very difficult to win the first game against Niger, but beat them 1-0.

"Then against Ghana (lost 1-0) and Congo (drew 1-1) we played with a lot of confidence and now I think everything is possible.

"I think it was more difficult a few months ago and when the country was invaded. Now the players just want to give a present back to the country.

"The atmosphere in Mali is unbelievable - people are much happier because we are getting close to the end of the war and because the national football team is in the semi-finals. It is a fantastic story."

Mali earned a place in the last four by defeating hosts South Africa via a 3-1 penalty shootout win after a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Captain Seydou Keita who has been arguably been the best player in the tournament, said the team needed to concentrate on their aim of becoming African champions for the first time.

"The motivation not only comes from what is happening back home but also to stay focused on the game and get through to the final," Keita said.

Goalkeeper Soumalia Djakite, who was the hero in the penalty shootout, saving two spot-kicks will make way for  Mamadou Samassa who was suspended for the quarter-final Carteron indicated.

Stephen Keshi will look to become the second two win the Nations Cup title as a coach and a player after Egyptian Mahmoud El Gohary, who won the title in 1959 as a player and in 1998 as Pharaohs the coach.  Keshi captained Nigeria to the title in 1994, but first his side must get past his former team Mali who Keshi lead before being fired in 2010.

"Mali is a footballing nation with great talent, I saw it in my two years there. I have a lot of respect for them and a lot of admiration for the Mali team and the players," Keshi said.

"But we are preparing ourselves. It will be an even tougher game than against the Ivory Coast. We will use whatever God gave us to play football and we will try and put it all together against Mali."

Keshi must decide if he will return Fegor Ogude to the starting line-up in midfield after the Norwegian-based played missed the quarterfinal through injury, or retain the more versatile Ogenyi Onazi who was outstanding in their 2-1 victory over Cote d’Ivoire.