Mensah Blow for Ghana

John Mensah is the latest omission from the Ghana squad for the September 5 World Cup qualifier with the defender yet to recover from the injury that has delayed his Olympique Lyon debut.

While Ghana has been celebrating the return of Stephen Appiah, the man who stepped in for him as captain and Ghana's best defender by a mile will not travel with the side to Libya for the crucial world cup qualifier.

Mensah has been struggling with a calf injury and has not played for new club Lyon since joining up with them last month.

He has played in all of Ghana's world cup qualifiers for 2010 so far and his absence in the crucial game in Tripoli will rob the team of one of its best players.

But it could also open the door for some of the other players keen to break into the central defence equation including Kaizer Chiefs' Jonathan Quartey and Issah Ahmed of Randers FC.