Boateng, Boye, Mensah out

Ghana are facing an injury crisis as midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng has been ruled out of next month’s clash with Sudan, MTNFootball.com can exclusively reveal.

The AC Milan player will be out of action for six weeks because of a rib injury he suffered while playing for the Italian side.

This means he will not be available for the Black Stars when they play the Nile Crocodiles on 8 October in Khartoum.

Ghana must get a result in the game to be guaranteed Group I’s automatic ticket for the 2012 Afirca Cup of Nations.

Boateng was in Germany to seek for a quick treatment to the problem to be available for his country but doctors have told him he will be out for long.

“Doctors in Germany have told Boateng that he will take about six weeks to be able to recover from the rib injury,” a highly-place source with the Ghana FA told MTNFootball.com

“So he will not play in the key match against Sudan next month.”

The new is a massive blow with many key players sustaining various injuries even before the final squad for Sudan is named.

Defenders Jonathan Mensah and John Boye all picked up injuries over the weekend while in action for their respective clubs in France.

And with Captain John Mensah only just returning from a three-week injury lay-off, the Black Stars defence is already looking shaky at this point.

The injury crisis now places Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic in a very difficult position even before he releases his squad for the crunch game in Khartoum on 8 October.

The Black Stars will need to avoid defeat against Sudan to be certain of a place in next year’s finals as group winners.

Ghana will then take on rivals Nigeria in an international friendly three days later in London.