{"id":45712,"date":"2014-09-08T11:33:32","date_gmt":"2014-09-08T11:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=45712"},"modified":"2014-09-08T11:43:28","modified_gmt":"2014-09-08T11:43:28","slug":"gfa-takes-black-stars-games-from-hostile-kumasi-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/09\/gfa-takes-black-stars-games-from-hostile-kumasi-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"GFA takes Black Stars games from ‘hostile’ Kumasi fans"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed that Black Stars home matches will now be alternated between the national stadiums in Accra and Kumasi.<\/p>\n
The Kumasi Stadium has for many years been the preferred venue for all the Black Stars major games including World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers.<\/p>\n
The Black Stars were, on Saturday, held to a 1-1 draw by Uganda<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span> in the first match of the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers in Kumasi.<\/p>\n \u201cOur policy is to rotate venues for all national team matches. Our original plan was to play the game against Uganda in Accra, but you know there are problems with the floodlights and other issues at the Accra Sports Stadium so we were forced to come to Kumasi,\u201d GFA Communications Director, Ibrahim Sannie Daara explained at Sunday post-match press conference.<\/p>\n The Kumasi Sports Stadium, was, however, half empty minutes before the Uganda game, even though the situation improved as the match progressed.<\/p>\n Sports analysts however say the attendance was one of the poorest recorded at the stadium for a Black Stars game since it was renovated in 2008.<\/p>\n Days before the qualifier against Uganda, the fans served notice they would boycott the game because of the Stars’ poor showing at the world cup in Brazil and the sheer disrespect they displayed against the Ghanaian tax payer.<\/p>\n The Sports Ministry in response, announced that entry into the stadium for the game would be free<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span> but back-tracked on their decision<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span> following concerns raised by National Security officials.<\/p>\n Prices for the tickets were instead reduced in a move which officials claim was to\u00a0<\/span>\u201cwin back the love of the supporters\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The move was unsuccessful as the home fans constantly booed the Black Stars players and cheered the Ugandans at every opportunity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Never seen anything like this: big potholes at a Ghana qualifier minutes to kickoff. In Kumasi. pic.twitter.com\/6iAjS2M5Xe<\/a><\/p>\n