Ghana's Alexander Djiku ruled out of World Cup, Derrick Luckassen called up as replacement

[p]The experienced Spartak Moscow centre-back arrived at the Black Stars' camp in Cardiff over the weekend carrying a knock sustained during [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spartak-moscow/IXVkvT2D/"]Spartak Moscow[/a]'s Russian Cup final against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/krasnodar/dz6KeNj3/"]FC Krasnodar[/a].[/p][p]Following thorough medical examinations, it has been concluded that he will not recover in time to participate at the tournament in North America.[/p][p]In a pre-match conference ahead of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wales/YcUP0Nqp/"]Wales[/a] friendly, Queiroz stated he was hopeful [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djiku-aleksander/UkrtOMnA/"]Djiku[/a] would be fit.[/p][embed guid="280b4442-395a-4ed5-9865-d13761d981f3" url="https://x.com/_owurakuampofo/status/2061455591818559500?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]"I was very confident the message about Djiku's injury would be positive, but the game sometimes has surprises and we had to make a decision to replace him. It doesn't matter who was the player that I called, Djiku was replaced. [/p][p]"Now we're to the same group of centre-backs in camp. The names you know, you saw them today on the pitch. So we're ready to take off," he added.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pafos/n99DUVW8/"]Pafos[/a] centre-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/luckassen-derrick/vkkxcAG9/"]Derrick Luckassen[/a] has been called up to replace him. The 30-year-old Pafos FC defender is no stranger to the Black Stars setup, having committed his international future to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ghana/nNBjHale/"]Ghana[/a] and featured in the March friendlies against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria-vienna/lvnOzIkE/"]Austria[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a].[/p][p]Luckassen enjoyed an outstanding campaign with Cypriot giants Pafos, playing a key role in their domestic and European exploits. He made eight appearances in the UEFA Champions League this season and scored once.[/p][p]A product of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/az-alkmaar/2RxOow1i/"]AZ Alkmaar[/a]'s academy who has played for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hertha-berlin/2y0u8Wrq/"]Hertha Berlin[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/anderlecht/vslqAKNo/"]Anderlecht[/a] among others, Luckassen brings a wealth of European experience.[/p][embed guid="f6f94f9f-12a0-47cd-b0d0-51a20a1f2999" url="https://x.com/3SportsGh/status/2061466335414985011?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]His familiarity with the Ghana setup, however brief, makes him a pragmatic and sensible choice at a time when the squad can ill afford further disruption.[/p][p]Djiku's withdrawal adds to what has become a deeply troubling injury picture for Ghana heading into the World Cup.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kudus-mohammed/hzbcXxIG/"]Mohammed Kudus[/a] was ruled out months ago after suffering a fresh quad problem that required surgery. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salisu-mohammed/zuFTjQI5/"]Mohammed Salisu[/a] has also been confirmed as absent through injury after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.[/p][p]The absences of Kudus, Salisu and now Djiku represent a significant loss of quality and experience for a squad preparing to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panama/OWKqbCfi/"]Panama[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] in Group L.[/p][p]With the final 26-man World Cup squad to be confirmed on June 1 and the Wales friendly to follow on June 2, Queiroz's preparations are entering their final and most decisive phase.[/p][p]Luckassen's call-up ensures the defensive options remain adequate, and the Portuguese coach will now focus on integrating him smoothly into the group ahead of Ghana's opening match against Panama in Toronto on June 17.[/p][image alt="Author" id="4cdd16f8-a8c7-4da1-bdc6-f6c29fc0f5a5" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="a1039e7a-2751-4435-b475-7aace8b734a7" original-width="1200" original-height="381" /]