At 7am traffic is getting heavy on the roads surrounding the Baba Yara Stadium at Amakom in Kumasi, venue for the variously labeled first leg tie World Cup play-off between the Black Stars and the Pharaohs.
Some 40 meters from the main gates of the stadium is the BBC’s ace sports writer Mathew Kenyon. He has taken position and filing for the World Service. He tells me he has been here since 4:30am to set up stage.
A little further away markets are springing up – with various merchandise draped in the Ghana national colours.
Mathew is both enthused and baffled somehow, for virtually every Ghanaian he has encountered or heard is predicting a heavy win for the Black Stars.
Predictions like 2:0 and 3:1 and 3:0 are on the lips of the home fans. It is not just a matter of optimism, it has strains of patriotism too. The Pharaohs must be conquered. The same potion that has driven 27-year-old Altamir Othman from Alexandria, the capital of Egypt’s Mediterranean into the midst of buoyant Ghanaian fans. He sees a one-all result at the end of the game. But his voice is drowned by the teasing Ghanaian fans who have surrounded him and predicting a big win.
“I want to be realistic, not like my Ghana friends. I say 1:1 at least, may be 2:1 for Egypt. Everyone has the right to dream so my friends say 3:0.
“But I like this town and the people’s friendliness. There is fresh air here not like our polluted Egypt. You have green environment and you have hope. Everyone smiles even if they don’t have the best.”
And Mathew Kenyon agrees and predicts a close score. A 2:1 perhaps.
“There’s good atmosphere already. I can see the Egyptian fan being mobbed by the Ghanaian fans. Everyone expects a big win but I think it will be close. Both sides are great and it will be a great match to watch. They are both creative. Ghana is great and so is Egypt.”
Gradually a crowd is building around us, listening in to our little conversation. And I can hear them whisper ‘oboa’, (it cannot be) to his prediction that the match will be close.
And then there is this mass gathering of supporters, some just arriving from various parts of the country, others just waking up from their perching in the long buses they had traveled on.
Meanwhile time ticks away, and in a matter of hours all the boasting will die down to usher in the ‘ooh’, ‘aah’, or ‘gooooooal!’ and finally the bragging rights for the victors all the way to the return leg. Hopefully that should be Ghana.
Stay here with us as we bring you all you need to see and hear on this epic match.
Story by Isaac Yeboah/Graphic.com.gh/Ghana
