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Bafana face logistical challenge after Ghana switch venue for Afcon qualifier

Bafana Bafana beat Moroka Swallows in a preparation match for Saturday's international friendly match against Madagascar at Orlando Stadium.
Bafana Bafana beat Moroka Swallows in a preparation match for Saturday's international friendly match against Madagascar at Orlando Stadium.
Image: TWITTER/Bafana Bafana

Issues with electricity in Ghana’s capital and floodlight failure at the Accra Sports Stadium means that the venue for South Africa’s opening 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday‚ November 14 has been switched.

It will be now be played at the Cape Coast stadium‚ which is a bruising 150-km ride down the coast from Accra and presents a new logistical challenge for Bafana Bafana.

They will have to travel back after the game‚ which kicks off at 5pm local time (7pm in South Africa)‚ so that they can stay in Accra overnight to catch a flight back home the next day to get ready for their second qualifier against the Sudan in Soweto on Sunday November 17.

A long bus journey at night is not going to be welcomed by the technical staff or players.

The Cape Coast Stadium was one of four used a decade ago when Ghana hosted the Cup of Nations finals.

It is Chinese-built‚ has a 15‚000-seater capacity and sits on the coastal road in picturesque setting.

The match will be the first since July’s Cup of Nations finals in Egypt for the Black Stars‚ who did not use the international window in September or October to play friendly matches.

They were unable to make any arrangements because of the flux in their football association‚ the running of which was taken over by FIFA.

A normalisation committee was in charge for several months before recent elections‚ which have installed new leadership for the Ghana Football Association.