Kwesi Prat Jnr hails Gyan's 'extraordinary' leadership qualities

Veteran Ghanaian sports journalist Kwesi Prat Jnr has hailed the 'extraordinary' leadership qualities of Asamoah Gyan, fearing the absence of the iconic Black Stars captain could wreck the country's 2018 World Cup qualifier against Egypt on Sunday.

The 30-year-old suffered his latest setback during a training session with his club Al Ahli.

The Black Stars must cope without the former Sunderland striker who is Ghana's all-time leading scorer with 48 goals as the battle the seven-time African champions at the Borg Al Arab stadium in Alexandria.

And the hugely-respected Ghanaian journalist is wary of the significance absence of the talisman ahead of the explosive tie.

"Asamoah Gyan is an extraordinary leader. He is the motivator of the team and his absence worries me," he said on Ghana's biggest morning show on Peace FM on Friday

"Even though he misses penalty sometime, he scores from open play. He is the real deal as far as I'm concerned.

"Andre Ayew will captain the team but Asamoah Gyan is the main leader of the team.

The stakes are high as the two strongest teams in Group E meet at the 86,000 Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

The Pharaohs,who top the table after winning their opening match, are determined to beat the Black Stars and open a five-point lead.

By Patrick Akoto