Former Black Stars forward William Kwabena Tiero has dismissed claims that the poor pitch at the Baba Yara Stadium was responsible for Ghana’s 1-0 defeat to Angola in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Ghana struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match, particularly in the first half, with many pointing to the substandard condition of the pitch as a major factor. However, Tiero believes that both teams faced the same challenges and that the pitch should not be used as an excuse.
“It’s not a matter of the pitch because both teams played on the same surface. Yes, we all acknowledged from the start that the pitch was bad, and the players had difficulty controlling the ball. But attributing the defeat to that is not fair because we were playing at home,” Tiero told Ghanasportspage.com in an interview.
The former Asante Kotoko winger also highlighted the Black Stars’ lack of energy towards the end of the game and the delay in substitutions, which may have contributed to the loss.
“At the 90th minute, we should have applied more pressure, but it was clear our energy was down. We struggled to regain possession and wasted time pressing after losing the ball.
“I think the coaches need to work on the players’ stamina to ensure they can maintain intensity for the full 90 minutes. Our changes were also delayed,” the 43-year-old added.Ghana will now focus on their next Group F clash against Niger on Monday, September 9, in Morocco, as they aim to get their AFCON qualifying campaign back on track. The Black Stars are currently third in the group with no points.
