Ghana defender Jerry Akaminko has been ruled out of the 2014 World Cup after picking up an injury in the friendly game against the Netherlands on Saturday, the Ghana FA has confirmed.
The 26-year-old injured his ankle after landing awkwardly from an aerial challenge in the 1-0 defeat to the Dutch in the game played in Rotterdam.
Coach Kwesi Appiah had to wait on reports from further injury assessment of the Ekiserhirspor centre back before naming his final squad which is expected to be released on Sunday.
Ghana team doctor Baba Adamu has now confirmed Akaminko’s injury is serious as initially feared and will need surgery to fix the problem that will take ‘at least three months’ to fully recover from – completly ruling him out of Ghana’s campaign in June’s World Cup in Brazil.
“X-rays have revealed that there is a fracture to the left ankle joint- that is the fracture of the fibula bone. What will have to be done is surgery,†Dr Baba told the Ghana FA’s website.
“If surgery is done depending on his rehabilitation we will give him at least three months to be able to fully recuperate from the injury and start playing.â€
The news comes as a major blow to Akaminko who had worked extremely hard all-season-long in Turkey to earn a recall to the Black Stars having been overlooked for a long period of time after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
He was hugely considered to be one of the sure bets to make the final Ghana squad for the 2014 World Cup.
The news also means coach Kwesi Appiah now has to drop two more players to arrive at his final squad with no hint of a late call up to replace the injured Akaminko on the cards.
The Black Stars team will fly out to the USA for the final leg of their preparations for the tournament which kicks off on June 12 in Brazil.