Substitute Quincy Owusu-Abeyie scored a late goal Saturday as Ghana beat Latvia 1-0 in its final warm-up match before the World Cup in South Africa. Before Owusu-Abeyie's late strike, Ghana had missed a succession of chances, including an Asamoah Gyan shot which cannoned off the underside of the crossbar.

Kwadwo Asamoah also came close, shooting wide of the left post, and Derek Boateng saw his low drive ruled out for an alleged push in the second half. Ghana, loosing finalists in the Africa Cup of Nations this year, were playing their second warm-up match before heading to South Africa and their coach, Milovan Rajevac, will be pleased with the result after suffering a 4-1 defeat to the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Ghana open their Group D campaign against Serbia on June 13, before facing Australia and Germany.

Their hopes of progressing through the group were dealt a blow on the eve of the squad's selection with confirmation that Chelsea's Michael Essien had not fully recovered from an injury to his left knee.

Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari is undergoing physiotherapy for a problem on his left thigh but was ruled fit enough to make the squad.

This will be Ghana's second appearance at a World Cup finals – four years ago, Ghana advanced from a difficult group, that included Italy and the Czech Republic, before bowing out in the second round to defending champions Brazil.

Line up: Daniel Agyei, Samuel Inkoom, Lee Addy, Isaac Vorsah, John Mensah/Jonathan Mensah, Anthony Annan, Prince Tagoe/Dominic Adiyiah, Kevin-Prince Boateng/Derek Boateng, Asamoah Gyan/Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Kwadwo Asamoah/Stephen Appiah, Andre Ayew/Mathew Amoah
Unused Subs: Richard Kingson, John Paintsil, Rahim Ayew, Hans Adu Sarpei, Stephen Ahorlu