Factbox on African Nations Cup finalists Ghana:

African Nations Cup record

Previous appearances in finals: 16

Best performance: Winners in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982, runners-up in 1968, 1970 and 1992

Coach: Milan Rajevac was an unknown quantity when he took over as coach of the Black Stars, his appointment heavily criticised by Ghana's media. It is his first coaching assignment outside his native Serbia where the 55-year-old previously worked at Red Star Belgrade and FK Vojvodina. Ghana are hoping he will deliver the same as compatriot Ratomir Dujkovic, who took them past the first round of the 2006 World Cup finals on their debut appearance.

Key players:

Michael Essien (Chelsea). Age: 26. Midfielder.

Essien's brute strength and seemingly endless stamina has made him a world-class player, mostly on the back of his performances with Chelsea. But for Ghana he adds an extra dimension with his versatility, having been called on frequently to play in defence as they have battled with an almost perpetual injury crisis. Essien is now an icon on his own continent, and carries Ghana's Nations Cup hopes on his broad shoulders.

Asamoah Gyan (Stade Rennes). Age: 24. Forward

Blighted by injury over the last two years, Gyan has finally been able to get some consistency in his game and been among the leading goal scorers in France's Ligue 1 this season. His tally of eight is his best haul since his first season in Europe when he played at Modena in Italy's Serie B.

Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda). Age: 29. Forward

Amoah has spent almost a decade in the Dutch league, punctuated by a spell at Germany's Borussia Dortmund where he had limited playing time and failed to score. Amoah was a member of the Ghana squad that played at the 2006 World Cup but before that spent several years in the international wilderness.

FIFA world ranking December 2009: 34th

Prospects: Ghana will be among the favourites although are weakened by the decision to drop Sulley Muntari for disciplinary reasons, leave out captain Stephen Appiah for a second successive tournament and injuries to defender John Mensah and John Paintsil. It means a bigger leadership role for Michael Essien, who has an exciting cast of youngsters around him for support. (Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Brian Homewood)