2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Somalia captain Abdulsamed Abdullahi questions pitch quality after Ghana defeat

Somalia captain Abdulsamed Abdullahi has criticised the playing surface at the Sekondi Sports Stadium following his side's 2-0 defeat to Ghana in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Abdullahi expressed concerns about the condition of the pitch after Thursday's Group C encounter, suggesting that its dryness made it difficult for players to move the ball effectively.

"To be honest, it was a dry field. A little bit hard to get good pace on the ball," he said after the match.

Thursday's game was only the second fixture to be played at the stadium since its renovation.

The venue previously hosted the Black Queens' emphatic 7-1 victory over Mauritius in a Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games qualifier last month.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) granted the stadium temporary approval at the end of October to host Ghana's two qualifying matches against Somalia.

The two sides will meet again on Monday, November 16, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 GMT.

Somalia remain bottom of Group C after losing all three of their opening matches, leaving their hopes of securing automatic qualification hanging by a thread.

They face an uphill task to revive their campaign, with a significant goal difference required in their remaining fixtures to stand any realistic chance of progressing.

Ivory Coast currently lead the group with nine points, while The Gambia occupy second place with six points. Ghana have moved up to third with three points following Thursday's victory.