What was meant to be a breakthrough night for Aaron Essel turned sour, as the young defender was forced off injured just 29 minutes into his senior Black Stars debut.
The 19-year-old started Ghana’s Unity Cup semifinal clash against Nigeria on Wednesday night, having impressed at the recent U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach Otto Addo rewarded that form with a place in the starting XI, deploying Essel as part of a three-man defence.
But his big moment was short-lived. With Ghana already 2-0 down and under pressure at the GTech Community Stadium in London, Essel picked up an injury that saw him substituted before the half-hour mark.
It was a disappointing end to what could have been a proud moment for the promising defender.
The extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed, but the Black Stars’ technical team is expected to monitor his recovery closely.
Ghana eventually lost the game 2-1 and will now battle Trinidad and Tobago for third place on Saturday. Nigeria advance to face Jamaica in the final.
