13 June 2010 - World Cup Soccer - Ghana vs Serbia

I booked tickets for a world cup game in a lottery type of draw beginning of December 2009. I wanted to watch a game on a weekend in Pretoria so chose 13 June 2010 at Loftus - match D3 vs D4. When I finally had a chance to look at who we were watching it ended up being Ghana vs Serbia. Now I have to admit I was slightly disappointed in the pick of teams and was rather hoping to have gotten two kick-arse teams battling it out. In retrospect though I am SO glad we watched the game we did (more about that later). So on the sunny (thank goodness - the real cold started 48 hours later, recording the lowest temperatures for SA in recent history) Sunday  on day 3 of the World Cup my mother, my brother, my husband and I donned our green and gold (bright yellow) and pickled off to Loftus.  We were fortunate enough to park at my office so it was just a short walk to the stadium. Now the country had been on a bit of a high since a few days before the start of the World Cup and after South Africa's draw in the opening match everything just seemed to excalate and everyone was swept up in the vibe.

Anyway, so as we get to the street close to the stadium (we are still about a kilometre away) all you hear is celebration and the sounds of vuvuzelas echoing out of the stadium - wow!  A throng of green, yellow and red was moving towards Loftus and the walk in itself was an experience.  My pick in the end I realised was for an African team and being an African World Cup this made it quite special.

Despite a crowd of 38 388 in the stadium I was plesently suprised as to how quickly and effortlessly we managed to get into the grounds and to our seats.  The stadium was amazing and really world-class - so impressive and I was am a really proud South African. 

I did not see/remember too much of the game, because I was soi intrigued by the people around us.  The die-hard guy from Ghana sitting all by hinmself next to my brother who belted out his anthem, the friendly chap sitting behind us.  The two youngsters infront of us with their hand-draws flag on paper that was sticky-taped together to make the flags fit.  The man/woman in the bright pink dress who permanently looked confused (and sure was), but cheered continously.  THAT is what I remember.  The fans blowing their vuvuzelas, the cheering the laughing the shouting and inbetween all of that Ghana's goal and the roar of the crowd as the game ended and Ghana became the first African team to win a match in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.