The National Sports Authority (NSA) has announced that the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi has been closed temporarily. The closure, which officially starts from Monday, September 9, 2024, is to allow for maintenance work on the pitch. This decision follows a storm of criticisms from Ghanaians regarding the terrible state of the pitch when the Black Stars faced Angola last Thursday. The Black Stars suffered their first defeat in the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in 24 years, losing 1-0 to Angola's Palancas Negras. A statement released by the NSA said, the Authority wishes to notify the general public, particularly the football community, that the Baba Yara Sports Stadium would be closed to the public from Monday, September 9, 2024, to Sunday, October 6, 2024. 'This is to allow routine maintenance work on the pitch. The Authority regrets any inconvenience this might cause users of the facility.' The Black Stars are expected to return to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in October when they take on Sudan in th e 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Source: Ghana News Agency