Just got back from Lome after the second phase of Ghana and Togo matches and am perspiring rather badly! Just have enough time to describe the euphoria here in Ghana after the incredible win against the Czechs, or as the papers like to put it, the 'Black Stars check the Czechs". Catchy isn't it? Having rained hard that morning and with the sky still looking black, it didn't seem that it was going to be their day but the crazy Ghanaian optimism still persisted. Watch the game in a bar instead of at Independence Square for a different atmosphere and when Gyan scored in the 2nd minute, the place was mad!!! People were jumping and shouting and hugging (including me - I was wearing my silly Ghana hat in support). At the end of the match, the street just filled up with people, dancing, singing and drumming. It was incredible to be caught up in it all. I joined in with some of the partying nearby, got involved with the drumming and then they all wanted me to dance. Before I knew it, everyone was standing in a circle around me encouraging me to dance. I had no choice but to conform and duly made a complete idiot of myself, which many appreciated. These celebrations carried on into the nightime, with traffic unable to moving due to dancing, drinking (and fire-eating). I hope they beat the US. To go through the whole partying again will be great.
I was late getting to the Togo match yesterday as the border was closed for a while, while ex-President Jerry Rawlings was corssing into Togo. How inconsiderate! Did he not know that I needed to be in Lome for the football and to get a good seat?!
It was Togo's time to be dismayed this time. With all their problems over the bonuses and wages, it was perhaps not surprising that the performance against Switzerland yesterday was lacking. The fans felt it as well and many stormed out after the 2nd goal went in, blaming both the players for not trying hard enough and also the federation for not giving the players the money they'd asked for, especially as they had been given money by FIFA, so I'd been told by a couple of irate fans. There were a few calls for people to suppport Ghana as the only African team to have a chance of progressing. Must go. Have run out of time now
