Ghana will go into Saturday's key African Nations Cup Group D encounter against Mali with an unknown defence as Isaac Vorsah and John Mensah sit out the game in Franceville through suspension.

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Giant Bundesliga-based centre back Vorsah serves the last of a two-match suspension received from the Confederation of African Football for a red card in the preliminaries.

He was also absent from Ghana's opening game at the tournament in Franceville on Monday, where captain Mensah scored the only goal of the game against Botswana but then was also red-carded. He automatically sits out the game against Mali, a source of some concern to his coach Goran Stevanovic, who must now field an inexperienced back four against their opponents.

"I'm worried because Mensah is very difficult to replace," he said. "He played well against Botswana but then got sent off.

"But while we were training in South Africa, I told the players that I need every one of them for this competition and so I have 20 other players who could replace him and we will be ready for Mali.

"You know who plays first game but never know who would play last game.
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I need 20 ready players for the competition. And I am sure that I have very, very good quality [players] and I believe in every player present here," the Ghana coach added.

Ghana and Mali share top place in the standings afer both won 1-0 on Monday.

Mali's 1-0 victory against Guinea came courtesy of a speculative drive from Bakaye Traore, but on the balance of play Mali were fortunate to win.

Coach Alain Giresse has admitted they are a young side, lacking in key departments in the competition. But the win over Guinea has given them a platform to progress to the quarter-finals.

Mali crashed out in the first round of the last Nations Cup and are desperate to succeed this time round, even if established starts like Mahamadou Diarra, Momo Sissokho and Frederic Kanoute are no longer part of the team.

The winner of Saturday's game will be virtually assured of a place in next weekend's quarter-finals.