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Soccer News of Sunday, 25 June 2006

Source: GNA

Pimpong and Draman regain fitness

Wurzburg (Germany) June 25, GNA - Injured Black Stars players, Razak Pimpong and Haminu Dramani have recovered from the various knocks that left them unable to train with their colleagues on Friday.

Both players picked injuries whilst serving as replacement for Asaomah Gyan and Sulley Ali Muntari in the last group game against the United States of America (USA) last Thursday.

Whilst Dramani, who scored on his debut had to be replaced in the early part of the second half, Pimpong had to endure the agony of playing in pain after he picked the injury with the substitution exhausted.

The duo sat out of training on Friday morning but joined their colleagues on Saturday afternoon after passing the test by team doctor Martin Engmann.

Coach Ratomir Djukovic told the GNA Sports in Wurzburg that he is convinced the two would be ready for action when the Stars, Africa's sole survivors in the worlds biggest soccer fiesta parade against Brazil in a knock-out duel in Dortmund on Tuesday to decide who gets to the quarter finals of the competition.

Though it remains unknown if the Serbian would start any of the two with the return of Gyan and Muntari, it is believed Pimpong who until Thursday had served as a substitute may return to that role.

Dramani, often described as Djukovic's "darling boy" proved his worth with the first goal that sent the Americans worried on Thursday and may get another opportunity to have a second bite of the cherry in a yet-to-be-known capacity.

The players had formed an integral part of the team that bowed out of the Nationas Cup at the group stage in Egypt last January but find it unyielding to break into the first team with the return of Muntari who missed the Egypt competition to injury.

Pimpong on the other hand featured in a few of the qualifiers under Portuguese Mariano Barreto but gained a call up for the first time under Djukovic in the team's build up dual against French club side Nice in May.