Essien to miss CAN2010 opener

Michael Essien will miss the Black Stars opening African Cup of Nations clash with Togo on Monday even though he had a full training session with Chelsea yesterday.

According to reports in the English media, Essien will definitely miss the Black Stars clash with the Hawks because he has yet to regain full match fitness.

The revelation seems to come from his English side Chelsea but Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac and Black Stars doctors will decide whether to leave out Essien for the game.

Even though the enforcer is doubtful for the Togo clash, Chelsea sources told the Times he is aiming to be fully fit in time to face his Chelsea team-mate, Didier Drogba, when his side meet Ivory Coast four days later.

The influential midfielder took part in a full session in the snow at the club’s training ground in Cobham, Surrey on Wednesday but will join the Stars in Angola.

Essien, 27, will be accompanied to Angola by a Chelsea doctor on Saturday who will be monitoring his progress to ensure that he doesn’t suffer from any further strains.

The midfielder is yet to regain full match fitness after tearing a hamstring in a Champions League match against Apoel last month, but he hopes to play some part in the tournament.

Essien’s prolonged absence is compounded by the fact that John Obi Mikel is also in Angola with Nigeria, leaving Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti with a shortage of defensive midfield players.

Ghana will have to finish among the top two in Group B where they face Togo, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso to be able to advance to the second phase of the tournament.