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
Michael Mokongo but a knee injury forced him to not compete at the event. Michael Mokongo Michael Benoît Mokongo (born July 11, 1986) is a Central African-French professional basketball player who last played for AS Monaco Basket of the LNB Pro B in France. Mokongo first represented the Central African Republic internationally at the 2009 AfroBasket qualifying tournament. He played for the country at the 2011 AfroBasket, averaging 11 points and a team-high 6 assists. Mokongo has also competed for France in the past, playing for them in the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. He was initially expected to play for the