AFCON 2013: Stallions seek to exploit Ghana’s pitch disadvantage

The Stallions of Burkina Faso look to exploits their familiarity of the poor Mbombela pitch when they look horns with Ghana in a Nations Cup semifinal game billed for Nelspruit on Wednesday.

Burkina Faso have found home in Mbombela, having played all four games at the stadium that has stayed under the microscope for its quality and are counting on it to rock Ghana’s campaign by maximizing their familiarity on the field.

The Black Stars play at the stadium for the first time since the tourney began and will have no opportunity to train at the venue ahead of the duel that determines who makes it to the finals on Sunday February, 10 in Johannesburg, the Burkinabe have been quick to underline their advantage ahead of the meeting.

Stallions Coach, Paul Put who leads the team for the first time to the last four in in 15 years says “It is always an advantage to have played on a pitch many times than your opponent. It is a big advantage to us because we consider that as home’.

Put reckons the poor nature of the pitch which nature has spark a lot of calls to have the game shifted to another venue but insists his charges walks into the game with nothing to lose.

“The pitch is very bad but we consider that as our home. We have nothing to lose because after all, no one expected us to reach the semifinals.”

Burkina Faso has forced the pundits to rewrite the script with their performance and Put insists his players are well aware of the task ahead.

“Ghana is a great team with great players and we respect them. We know there is still work to be done and it is good we are playing in Nelspruit again. It gives us a clear advantage.”

Ghana is chasing an elusive fifth Nations Cup trophy.

Source: GNA