African Cup of Nations Semi-finals:Ghana need to reshuffle their defence to cope with the absence of suspended captain John Mensah for their African Nations Cup semi-final against Cameroon today.
The defender misses the match in Accra after receiving a red card for a professional foul in Sunday's 2-1 quarter-final win over Nigeria. "It's a big blow but we have to get on with it. That's just how it is," midfielder Sulley Muntari said.
Ghana coach Claude Le Roy has admitted it will be difficult to adjust the defence but has hinted Michael Essien might be used at centre back against formidable Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o.
Essien has scored twice in the last two games with his strong runs from the centre of midfield.
The tournament hosts also face the possibility of doing without striker Asamoah Gyan, injured in Sunday's match.
Le Roy, a Nations Cup winner with Cameroon 20 years ago, has already branded his team "heroes" but will need them to show even more determination against a combative Cameroon.
The Indomitable Lions were written off after a 4-2 defeat by Egypt in their opening group match but have since stormed back with 11 goals in three games, including an extra-time winner against Tunisia in Monday's quarter-final in Tamale.
Under German coach Otto Pfister, their playing style is more about physical power than finesse but it has been effective.
Striker Eto'o became the highest scorer in African Nations Cup history at this tournament although he did not get a goal on Monday.
"It's not easy to play a team like Cameroon, they are physically very strong," Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre said after his side were knocked out by Pfister's men.
Cameroon are in their first Nations Cup semi-final since winning the tournament in 2002, while Ghana are through to the last four for the first time since 1996. Both countries have won four previous Nations Cup titles, one less than record-holders Egypt.
Côte d'Ivoire, beaten by Egypt on penalties in the African Nations Cup final two years ago, have a chance to avenge that defeat when the sides meet again in their semi-final in Kumasi later today.
Côte d'Ivoire defender Kolo Toure, who missed the 5-0 quarter-final win over Guinea with a groin injury, is expected to return for the Elephants, who should give the defending champions by far their sternest test so far.
Egypt began with that 4-2 win over Cameroon then completed their group games with a 3-0 win over Sudan and a draw against Zambia.
They avoided any of the big guns in the quarter-finals, when they still needed a lucky bounce to beat Angola 2-1 on Monday.
"Côte d'Ivoire have a very good team but so have we," said Egypt's assistant coach Shawky Gharib. "We played them in the final and group phase at the last Nations Cup and they didn't beat us then, so we're not worried about them."
Côte d'Ivoire sailed through their group phase with a 100 per cent record, then hammered Guinea 5-0 in their quarter-final when four of the goals were scored in the last 20 minutes.
However, they appear to have been distracted by the controversy over striker Didier Drogba's failure to win the annual African Player of the Year award on Friday.
Drogba was not allowed by his team to attend the ceremony in Togo, choosing to stay with his Côte d'Ivoire team-mates, and the award went instead to Mali's Frederic Kanoute. Ghana v Cameroon
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