..as Asamoah bows out with injury
Accra, Jan. 6, GNA - Ghana's Black Stars' preparation towards the next African Cup of Nations pencilled for Egypt later in the month has been dealt a big blow with leading striker Asamoah Gyan bowing out with an injury.

The player limped off at training on Thursday bringing to three the number of key players expected to miss out of the four-week fiesta through injuries.

The Modena striker according to team doctor, Martin Engmann had a medial meniscal tear and would be outpaced in his race with time. Dr. Engmann told the GNA Sports from Tunis that "I have asked his club doctor to take over since he would not recover for the competition".

Chelsea's Michael Essien, Sulley Ali Muntari of Udinese are the other casualties expected to miss the Ghanaians' quest to annex the trophy for the fifth time.

While Gyan, one of the team's highest scorers in both the World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers picked the injury in the Stars camp, the duo suffered the calamity whilst on duty with their clubs. Coach Ratomir Djukovic had earlier been forced to invite two of his stand by players, Baba Adamu Amando and Louis Agyeman as replacement for Essien and Muntari.

The trio, are influential members of the team that is housed alongside Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe at the first phase. The injuries are considered as a huge set back to the Serbian's tactics ahead of the tourney, which would see both Cameroon and host Egypt all yearning for a fifth victory.

It remain unclear who would be replacing Gyan who pundits have tipped to cause the desired trouble to opponents.

Apart from Essien, the 22-year old Gyan and the Udinese left footer, Muntari were both making a nations' cup debut.