Raja Casablanca coach blames Accra Sports Stadium pitch after draw with Samartex

Raja Casablanca took the lead in the 20th minute when Mohamed Azrida headed home a corner kick. However, Samartex equalized in the 37th minute with a spectacular acrobatic goal by Francis Gyetuah. The Timber Giants then went ahead through Michael Ephson, who capitalized on a rebound, before Raja drew level early in the second half with a goal from Mohamed Boulacsout.

Coach Rusmir Cviko’s criticism of the Accra Sports Stadium pitch echoes the growing concerns among Ghanaians and players, who have recently raised issues about the deteriorating state of the country’s football pitches. This concern gained more attention after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Kumasi’s Baba Yara Stadium, preventing the Black Stars from hosting future home games there.

The ban followed Ghana’s loss to Angola in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where the condition of the pitch became a key issue. With Ghana set to face Sudan in the AFCON qualifiers in October, the national team may need to find an alternative venue that complies with CAF’s standards for Category 3 matches.