Injury scare for Ghana ahead of 2015 AFCON as Agyemang-Badu limps off in Udinese draw

Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu suffered an injury while in action for Udinese in their 1-1 draw with Chievo in the Italian Serie-A on Sunday.

The 23-year-old who captained the Black Stars in their final 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo in midweek, was replaced after 70 minutes after picking up the unspecified injury.

Udinese also lost Ivan Piris – who also played for Paraguay in midweek – through injury but manager Andrea Stramaccioni refuses to blame the injuries on the duo's involvement in midweek action for their countries.

“It is no coincidence that the first two players to get injured were Badu and Piris,” he said after the game.

“Both played two midweek games with transatlantic flights, but this is not an excuse.”

Badu will undergo further tests on Monday to ascertain the severity of his injury.

His injury will be a big blow for Ghana if he is to be out for several weeks as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations approach.

The tournament to be staged by Equatorial Guinea will kick off in January with the Black Stars poised to make a latest attempt at winning the African title which has eluded them since their last continental triumph in 1982.