2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Otto Addo laments poor pitch conditions at Chad Stadium

By Emmanuel Austin Baah On Sep 4, 2025

Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo has heavily criticized the Marshal Idriss Derby Itno Olympic Stadium pitch having compared it it nature to just like playing on concrete slab.

Ghana national jersey

The Black Stars touched down in N’Djamena last Wednesday morning and have been training extensively for the game coming up.

As part of preparations, the team trained at the match venue which was a mandatory in order to have a feel of the pitch and also adapt to the weather and others before the big game.

Speaking ahead of the game, Otto Addo, who supervised the entire session lamented on the bad nature of the pitch stating it isn’t good at all for association football and is even surprised it has been approved for a football game.

“Actually I am surprised that CAF allowed this pitch for an international match. Pitch is really really not good. It is very very hard so for the players it’s like playing on concrete.

The game is slated for 13:00GMT on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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