Ghana gamble on injured Gyan

11 January 2012 19:46

Asamoah Gyan figured in Ghana's 23-player squad for the Africa Cup of Nations released here Wednesday despite the striker facing a race against time to be fit.

Gyan, who plays his club football with United Arab Emirates-side Al Ain, is suffering from a tendon injury and is receiving treatment from a Serbian specialist in a bid to hasten his recovery.

Ghana however will have to do without two major names in the shape of goalkeeper Richard Kingson and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien.

Kingson is injured while Essien - who also missed the 2010 World Cup finals because of injury - has only just returned to training with Chelsea after recovering from rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season training.

The Ayew brothers, Andre and Jordan, both with Marseille, as expected figured in the list published by Ghana's Serbia coach Goran Stevanovic.

Ghana, favourites with Ivory Coast to win the 2012 title, are in Group D with Botswana, Guinea, and Mali.

The tournament runs from January 21-February 12.

Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset/NOR), Daniel Adjei (Liberty), Ernest Sowah (Berekum Chelsea)

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Dnipro/UKR), John Paintsil (Leicester/ENG), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege/BEL), Masawudu Alhassan (Genoa/ITA), Lee Addy (Red Star Belgrade/SRB), John Boye (Rennes/FRA), John Mensah (Lyon/FRA), Jonathan Mensah (Evian/FRA), Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim/GER)

Midfielders: Charles Takyi (Sankt Pauli/GER), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese/ITA), Derek Boateng (Dnipro/UKR), Anthony Annan (Vitesse Arnhem/NED), Mohammed Abu (Stromsgodset/NOR), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese/ITA), Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan/ITA), Andre Ayew (Marseille/FRA)

Forwards: Prince Tagoe (Bursaspor/TUR), Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain/UAE), Jordan Ayew (Marseille/FRA)

Source: AFP