Essien would be missed - Appiah

Nuremberg, June 23, GNA - Ghana's Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah says the services of Michael Essien would be greatly missed as the team locks horns with Brazil at the knockout stage of the competition in Dortmund on Tuesday. The Fernabache midfielder says Essien's implacability in the team would be a huge loss to the Stars, who would need a win to get into the quarter final stage of the competition.

"It is difficult to accept that the person who asked us before this game to die for the point because we will meet Brazil will not be available," Appiah said emotionally. Although the skipper said he appreciated that other players in the team could always rise up to the occasion, insisted that Essien's presence in the team could have created a huge advantage for the Stars who won two games and lost one at the group stage to cruise to this level.

The inspirational skipper, however, said he believed the team would thrive on hunger and commitment to ensure they hoisted high the flag of the continent. Appiah, winner of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2-1 win over the Americans, said he believed the players could sell out another great game to ensure they delivered on Tuesday. The skipper said the return of Sulley Ali Muntari and Asamoah Gyan who missed Thursday's game to suspension would work in favour of the Ghanaians who remained the only debutants to have traveled this far in the tournament.

"It is good to have Asamoah and Muntari back. We are all willing to fight for the team to make sure we make everyone proud." Essien was tagged as the player to watch by the bookmakers and his exclusion was expected to cause a major vacuum in the midfield he had handled without blemish so far. Essien picked his first caution in the opening game against Italy, which the Stars lost 0-2.

The player scored four times in eight appearances during the qualifiers where his superiority proved decisive games after the other. The absence at the Nations Cup of the shy-looking player, whose amazing strength has earned him accolades like the 'Bison', left a telling statement on the team's shape, underscoring why he remained a hob around which the team revolves. Appiah on the other hand made eight appearances in the qualifiers scoring four goals.