World Cup: Michael Essien Misses Ghana Training

Former Chelsea FC and AC Milan midfielder Michael Essien missed training on Wednesday with the Ghana national team with a toe injury suffered against the United States in the Black Stars’ World Cup opener. Essien did not start the match but came on late in the second half as Ghana was chasing an equalizer and suffered the injury that kept him out of training.

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The Ghana football association has not confirmed if Michael Essien will miss the team’s second group stage match against Germany but they have confirmed that he is undergoing exams on his injury. The official statement read that “Michael Essien sat out training on Wednesday as team medics monitor his fitness for Ghana’s World Cup group clash against Germany on Saturday”. The statement went on to say that “The Ghana midfielder picked up a toe injury during the Black Stars’ defeat to the United States on Monday after coming on as a second-half substitute”.

Essien faces a race for fitness as he looks to make his impact felt on what is his second World Cup but appears to be behind Mohammed Rabiu and Sulley Muntari in the pecking order. The Ghana FA also said about the midfielder’s status that the “medical team are working to get ready after watching training in Maceio from the sidelines”. This injury comes at a poor time for Essien as he will likely fall even further down the midfield pecking order if he is not fully fit.

It is no secret that Michael Essien is no longer the dynamic box to box midfielder he once was when he was known as “The Bison”. However he still has something to offer to the Black Stars as a deep lying playmaker and his experience and leadership off the pitch may also prove invaluable. Ghana already had a tough task ahead of them to move on from their group but another loss to Germany would all but eliminate them from this summer’s World Cup.

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