Michael Essien over the United States, and helped Ghana become the only African team to reach the second round of the 2006 World Cup. However, he was suspended for Ghana's second round match against Brazil and could only watch as Ghana lost 0–3. Upon the team's return to Ghana, Essien said the team had gained invaluable experience and would be aiming to make the next finals, held in Africa for the first time in the tournament's history at the 2010 World Cup. In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Essien turned in another strong performance, driving the team to the semi-finals with
2011 African Cross Country Championships the best performers at that year's Kenya Cross Country Championships to the world event, while those ranking seventh to tenth in the national race were sent to the event in Cape Town. The continent's second foremost nation in cross country, Ethiopia, did not send any athletes to the competition. The Kenyan team's jubilant celebrations led to the entire squad of 30 runners and officials missing their flight for Nairobi, scheduled later that day at Cape Town International Airport. 2011 African Cross Country Championships The 1st African Cross Country Championships was an international cross country running competition for African athletes which