Milo unsure over Essien starting role

Ghana boss Milovan Rajevac will wait until Michael Essien arrives in camp before deciding to use him in their opening African Cup of Nations game against Togo next week.

The Chelsea star is expected to arrive in their South African camping base on Tuesday but his fitness for the tournament in Angola is in doubt.

Essien was allowed to stay in England at the start of the Black Stars camping because of a hamstring injury he suffered while playing for the Premier League side.

As he would have just recovered from injury when he joins the Black Stars, Rajevac says his medical team must examine the midfielder before deciding to thrown him at the deep end on 11 January.

“We will see after his injury whether we will use him from the beginning of the tournament,” Rajevac said.

“We will decide on that when he is here.”

Ghana will also face Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in Group B of the tournament in Angola