AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
Venue: Estadio de Mongomo Date: Monday, 19/1/15 Kick-off: 16:00 GMT
Coverage: Live update: NileSports.com TV: BEIN Sports
LIVE UPDATE ON NILESPORTS.COM
Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan will not play against Senegal as he continues to recover from “a mild bout of malaria”.
The Ghana Football Association said the striker was admitted to a hospital in Mongomo on Saturday evening and released on Sunday morning.
The disease was caught “at an early stage” and Gyan is said to be responding to treatment.
Senegal boss Alain Giresse must decide on the fitness of Sadio Mane, who has been out with a calf injury.
The Southampton forward was included in the squad despite his club’s insistence the player would not be fit.
Giresse said: “If he will not be able to play the first match, it will be the second if not the third. We’ll see the progress he will make.”
One big name missing from Senegal’s side is West Ham’s in-form striker Diafra Sakho, who has a back problem and is not part of squad. However, his Upton Park team-mate Cheikhou Kouyate will be lining up for the team.
“It was a dream for me to go to the Nations Cup,” he said. “Above all, there is my country and I put Senegal before (West Ham). With all the respect I have for my club, they respected my decision because I was not injured – it was a dream that no-one could mess up.”
The loss of Gyan is a blow to new Ghana coach Avram Grant, as the ex-Chelsea boss aims to extend the Black Stars’ unbeaten Cup of Nations record against Senegal.
But Marseille forward Andre Ayew and his brother Jordan, and Everton winger Christian Atsu have been named in the starting line-up.
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