Michael Essien 2–1 defeat of Zambia as the "Black Stars" secured qualification to the final round. He started in both play-off matches against Egypt and was named in Ghana's squad for the tournament finals. He made one appearance, coming on as a second-half substitute in the opening 2–1 defeat to the United States. Essien is a physically strong midfielder, who often plays in a central midfield role. He has often been touted as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert energy in supporting both offensive and defensive play, and for his powerful and tough tackling playing style, which has earned him
Loick Essien the UK chart. It was then confirmed in February 2011 that Essien would release his debut album, entitled "Identity" later that year. The second single to be released from the album, entitled "Stuttering" was released on 6 February 2011 and featured rap group N-Dubz, although only Dappy and Fazer appeared in the single's accompanying music video. The single marked Essien's top 40 debut, when it charted at number 36 on the UK Singles Chart. Essien released his third single "How We Roll" featuring singer Tanya Lacey on 3 July 2011. It entered at number two in the UK Singles Chart