Black Stars coach Otto Addo is concerned about the recent ban on the Baba Yara Stadium which was the only approved venue to host international matches.
Ghana were fortunate to get temporal approval by CAF for the venue to host the recent home game against Angola in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. However, after losing the game which ended their 24-year dominance, the poor nature of the pitch made headlines entirely shifting the conversation from the the disappointing match result.
The National Sports Authority immediately responded by closing down the stadium for the next month in order to get it ready for Ghana’s next game at home against Sudan in October.
However, CAF on Wednesday, issued a ban on the venue citing its inadequacy in quality and not meeting required standards. This has placed the Ghana Football Association in a tight corner racing against time to get a quality pitch to be approved for the next Black Stars assignment. This is likely to see Ghana play in a neighbouring country.
Reacting to the issue on the sidelines of the CAF Coaches Symposium in Ivory Coast, Otto Ado said, “First of all, I think if it comes like this, and this is how it looks like, then it’s really a pity,” as quoted by African journalist Micky Jnr.
“Surely we always want to play in front of our home crowd but at the end of the day, we have to do the best out of the situation and if we have to play somewhere else then it’s like that.”
Otto Addo focused on achieving result
The coach is however rather more focused on churning out results as Ghana remains without a win in their opening two games of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
“I don’t want to use my energy to think too much about that, it’s not in our hands and there’s nothing we can do about that, it’s a CAF decision and we have to do the best about it.”
The Ministry of Youth and Sports on Wednesday, September 12, 2024 directed the GFA to invite CAF for the approval of the Accra Sports Stadium and University of Ghana Stadium in Legon.
