ACCRA, Jan 2 Ghana captain John Mensah will miss this month's African Nations Cup finals after picking up a hamstring injury, the Ghana Football Association said on Friday.

Mensah, who suffered the injury playing for Sunderland in the English Premier League, joins fellow defender John Paintsil on the sidelines after the Fulham player twisted his knee last weekend.

Ghana have named Jonathan Mensah, who has just moved to Italian side Udinese from Free State Stars in South Africa, as a replacement for Mensah, while Paintsil will be replaced by Twente Enschede's Ransford Osei for the tournament in Angola.

Ghana had on Thursday called up Derek Boateng to replace Paintsil but said his Spanish club Getafe had refused to release him citing a FIFA rule that requires national associations to give clubs two weeks' notice before calling up their players.

Ghana are in Group 'B' with Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo for the tournament which starts on Jan 10.

Squad

Goalkeepers Daniel Agyei (Liberty Professionals), Richard Kingson (Wigan Athletic), Philemon McCarthy (Hearts of Oak).

Defenders Eric Addo (Roda JC), Lee Addy (Bechem Chelsea), Harrison Afful (Esperance), Samuel Inkoom (FC Basle), Jonathan Mensah (Udinese), Hans Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen), Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim).

Midfielders Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Sampdoria), Opoku Agyemang (Al Sadd), Anthony Annan (Rosenborg), Dede Ayew (Arles-Avignon), Rahim Ayew (Zamalek), Haminu Dramani (Lokomotiv Moscow), Michael Essien (Chelsea), Moussa Narry (Auxerre).

Forwards Dominic Adiyiah (Fredrikstad), Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese), Asamoah Gyan (Stade Rennes), Ransford Osei (FC Twente).—Reuters