Angola coach criticises Baba Yara Stadium pitch after victory over Ghana

Angola’s head coach, Pedro Goncalves, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the condition of the Baba Yara Stadium pitch following his team’s 1-0 victory over Ghana in the opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Goncalves criticised the poor quality of the playing surface, which made it difficult for both teams to maintain control of the ball, resulting in frequent turnovers and disrupting the flow of the game.

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

Angola’s winning goal came in injury time, when Felicio Milson capitalised on a defensive error by Ghana to seal the win and end the Black Stars' 24-year unbeaten record at the Baba Yara Stadium.

The loss puts Ghana in a tough spot in Group F, especially after Sudan's 1-0 victory over Niger. The Black Stars will now face Niger in their next match on Monday, 9th September, in Morocco.