Veteran Ghanaian coach Abdul Karim Zito suggests that Black Stars players may be holding back during national team matches due to concerns about the poor quality of local pitches.
This issue was highlighted following Ghana’s recent home defeat to Angola, where the state of the Baba Yara Stadium pitch became a significant point of discussion.
After the match, CAF withdrew approval for Baba Yara Stadium, citing “persistent issues.” Consequently, Ghana is expected to play their upcoming AFCON 2025 qualifiers away from home, with the Ghana FA urgently seeking an alternative venue.
“Our players are accustomed to high-quality pitches abroad, so they feel uneasy playing on subpar surfaces at home due to injury risks. For instance, the goal we conceded against Angola was affected by the pitch, as Abdul Mumin’s intended play was disrupted by the poor surface,” Zito told Joy Sports.
The Ghana Football Association is now racing against the clock to find a suitable venue for their AFCON qualifier against Sudan in October.
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://mx24online.com/featured/black-stars-players-fear-injury-on-poor-pitches-coach-karim-zito/&media=https://mx24online.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2CC61CDB-A6D5-4ED0-983E-B01D5BA1EAE1.jpeg&description="Our players are accustomed to high-quality pitches abroad, so they feel uneasy playing on subpar surfaces at home due to injury risks.…){kind=link}