Chipsah express concern about football pitches

Accra, Feb 24, GNA - Yusif Chipsah, skipper for the national U-23 soccer team, the Black Meteors has expressed concern about the nature of football pitches in the country with particular reference to the Kumasi and Accra Sports stadiums.

The skipper told the GNA Sports in an interview in Kumasi after the Meteors and the Algerian qualifying match that the current state of the pitches in the country hinders progress as far playing good football is concerned and therefore appealed to the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to take a second look at getting the fields in better shape.


The combative midfielder said the Meteors found it tough and difficult in maintaining the tempo of their play as well as making meaningful and smooth incursions upfront largely due to the bad nature of the turf.


"It was difficult controlling the ball last Sunday and I sincerely think the time has come for the big men to take into consideration rectifying the problem for smoother future assignments", he appealed. On the match and performance of the team, the player who expressed satisfaction about the victory said it was an improvement over their previous games that saw them winning handsomely and was hopeful that it was a significant sign of the good things yet to come.


"Winning 2-0 is an obvious boost over our 1-0 win against the South Africa also at home as well as the draw and the defeat to Zambia and Algeria in the away matches and that makes our recent the victory very special to us", the midfielder said.

The hard working player told the GNA that though the South African encounter will be a cagey one, "nothing can stand between us and the maximum points knowing the level of stakes towards qualification". Skipper Chipsah who described Sunday's victory as a moral boaster said the team would work hard and build on its current form in their quest to pick the six points left to ensure they participate in the Olympic fiesta.


The player last Sunday led the Meteors to inflict a 2-0 convincing win over the young Desert Warriors of Algeria in a crunchy Olympic Games qualifier played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.


Though it was glaring during proceedings that the bad nature of the turf had a toll on the tempo of the game, the Chipsah-led team defied all odds and registered a goal in each half through Ishmael Addo and substitute Kwadwo Poku to seal their victory.


On Saturday March 13, the Meteors will line-up against the Amagluglug lads of South Africa to continue their chase for the groups slot to compete in the coming Olympic games billed for Athens. The Meteors last game will be against the Chipolopolo of Zambia in Accra.