Prime News Ghana

Baba Yara Stadium shut down after vandalism

By Vincent Ashitey
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The Baba Yara Sports Stadium has been shut down temporarily after football fans destroyed seats and other properties in the stadium.

Thursday's incident informed the National Sports Authority (NSA) decision to shut down the for a month. 

The stadium will be opened for Ghana's next home match on October 7, 2024.

As a result, the NSA will now work with Asante Kotoko to find an alternative venue for their upcoming Ghana Premier League matches.

READ ALSO: AFCON 2025Q: Milson scores late winner as Angola stun Black Stars in Kumasi

 

After the Black Stars game, Angola’s coach, Pedro Gonçalves, expressed frustration with the pitch.

“We always tried to play football, but the pitch was difficult,” Gonçalves said. “A country like Ghana deserves a better stadium, a better pitch for football. They have such talented players.”

Ghana’s coach, Otto Addo, acknowledged the pitch's poor condition but refused to use it as an excuse for the team’s loss, which ended Ghana’s 24-year unbeaten streak at the stadium.

"I don’t want to blame the loss on the pitch, though it was in bad shape. We managed to win on a similarly poor pitch against the Central African Republic. We just have to do better," he said.

In response to the backlash, Majeed Bawa, the NSA's Deputy Director General, defended the stadium’s condition, questioning the critics. "Are they implying the Angolans were playing in the sky? Both teams played on the same pitch, which was inspected and approved by CAF."

Despite the defense, the NSA has decided to close the stadium for maintenance and to repair damage caused by angry fans after Thursday’s game.