Ghana are still smarting from their semi-final defeat at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations but captain John Mensah says the Black Stars will give everything in the last game.

The Black Stars’ hopes of reaching the final were dashed on Wednesday night following a 1-0 loss to Zambia in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

With the chase for a fifth Nations Cup title gone, Ghana will now have to focus on the third-place finish match against Mali on Saturday in Malabo.

Mensah, who has scored two crucial goals so far, says picking themselves up from the setback for the last game is very important.

“We would manage it,” Mensah said. “At this moment it is very hard.”

“We still have a game ahead of us and we will prepare for the next game ahead of us.”

The Ghana captain says the failure to play in the finals is a such a big blow to take.

“We never thought that we would go off in this match [defeat to Zambia],” Mensah said.

“We all knew that we could have been in the finals; play in the final and to win the Cup. I am sad but I have to keep on and motivate the players.”