Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew admits the Black Stars have been weakened with the absence Michael Essien but says they must concentrate on those players in camp to excel at the World Cup.
Ayew is close with Essien and the 20-year-old remembers hearing the dismaying news on of his injury-induced World Cup  from his friend over the phone.
"I think he came in the morning and had a physical, we don't really know what happened there," said Ayew.
"I am close to him, so he called me and told me what happened that day. It was sad for him and for the team because it very important that Ghana has a player like him.
"We will miss Essien, the exposure he's had [to big games] and the charisma he has. It is going to be difficult for the coach to prepare for the World Cup without Essien."
When healthy, Essien is an elite soccer player. His elusive pace, industrious work rate and intelligent placing on the pitch make him one of the few dominant two-way players in the sport.
It is questionable whether or not the midfielder's tireless effort has impacted his career as he has spent significant parts of both this season and last with debilitating injuries.
With the World Cup less than nine days away, the team has put its focus solely on exceeding the precedent set by the team's first World Cup appearance in 2006 when it advanced past the group stages.
"We have to concentrate on the competition because we can’t get stuck on Michael and how much we will miss him," said Ayew.
Without Essien, the team will have to considerably change its approach but it can still be dangerous if head coach Milovan Rajevac can find a way to utilize both the team's solid veterans and its up and coming talent.
Ghana will play Serbia, Australia and Germany in Group D of the tournament.