Former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah is fuming over the home ban imposed on Ghana by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding the ongoing AFCON qualifiers for the upcoming tournament set to take place in Morocco.
In a recent match at the Baba Yara Stadium, the Black Stars suffered a defeat against Angola, ending their impressive unbeaten home streak with a solitary goal from the visitors.
Additionally, the poor condition of the pitch generated significant discussion online, with many questioning how a nation renowned for its football could have such a subpar playing surface.
Numerous Ghanaian supporters even suggested that the state of the pitch contributed to the team’s loss.
As a result of these concerns, CAF has prohibited Ghana from hosting any further international matches at the stadium, labelling the pitch as ‘unsuitable’ due to problems such as inadequate drainage and uneven terrain.
Consequently, Ghana may have to play its upcoming qualifier against Sudan in October at alternative venues outside the country, potentially in Togo, Nigeria, or Ivory Coast.
This situation has ignited considerable conversation among Ghanaians, leading to responses from former players, including Stephen Appiah, who described the entire scenario as embarrassing and detrimental to Ghana’s football reputation.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has instructed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to obtain approval from CAF for two alternative venues in Accra: the Accra Sports Stadium and the University of Ghana Stadium, for the upcoming match of the Black Stars.
The ministry is optimistic that both venues will comply with CAF’s requirements following an inspection. This directive is part of a strategy to mitigate the logistical and reputational issues associated with hosting home matches outside of Ghana.
The Accra Sports Stadium has recently seen substantial upgrades following a prior CAF inspection, while the University of Ghana Stadium, which has previously hosted CAF Category 2 matches, is pending evaluation for Category 3 certification.
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