2026 World Cup qualifiers: Mali coach Saintfiet brushes off pitch concerns ahead of Ghana clash

Despite Ghana’s coach, Otto Addo, previously raising concerns about the pitch’s condition after a 1-1 draw with Chad, Saintfiet remains unfazed.

“I have only seen pictures of the pitch. I am not the type of coach who talks about pitches and those circumstances,” Saintfiet said.

“The pitch is for both teams and at the same level. We played on different pitches 10 years ago. 20 years ago, we played on different pitches.”

Saintfiet emphasized that his focus is solely on the game, and he believes both teams will face the same conditions.

Ghana, currently topping Group I with 16 points, need maximum points to keep their World Cup qualification hopes on track.

Mali, with 12 points, aim to upset the Black Stars in Monday’s game.