The journey continues......

The morning after – I am still hoarse from shouting and worn out from this rollercoaster white knuckle ride. Go Black Stars, Go Ghana. Hosai Ghana! Last night battling our way through the crowds after the game – “Are you happeee? From your heart? We won your people!!” Just about everybody is on the streets – barefoot snotty kids, grandmas, Assembly members – all come out together to celebrate their heroes. Cars with flashing lights and blaring horns speed through the heaving mass of dancers - singing, drumming, screaming hordes.

“If God is with us anything is possible” – an enduring image – Goalkeeper Kingston – arms held aloft to the heavens – guardian angel of the Black Stars goal. He has become a favourite – at times brilliant, at others erratic – “eccentric” in the words of one pundit. In the game against Germany he played a blinder but in the end even he could not prevent a goal. At the other end the forwards just could not find the net. It was left to the men of oz – and the hand of God – to save the day, running out unlikely winners against a polished Serbian side, that could not take their chances. Fate again saw the Americans score in the very last seconds to clinch top spot and set up last night’s game.

Feverish speculation up and down the land about the lack of goals, the tactics of the coach – the scruffy Serb who doesn’t speak English – his loyalties questioned. The Pastors working overtime to win heavenly grace and who knows what juju sacrifices as the country prepares to take on the might of Amerika. One man tells me that he is relieved that Ghana is not playing England, “our colonial masters” so that unnecessary tensions can be avoided. It is hard to grasp how much this means to everyone – forget the happy, colourful, sanitised multi kulti Africa presented by the international greed machine – here in the sweaty heat, the dirt and dust, nothing else matters – the Black Stars carry the dreams and aspirations of the whole of Africa and they are proud.

The Minister of Communications has urged discipline and modesty in the celebrations to prevent “ill effects” – wasting time! On Saturday the town closes – the whole of Ghana shuts up shop – only one thing now on everyone’s minds – the game. The excitement and apprehension mounts as evening approaches. Flags, whistles – the vuvuzela – the hour approaches. One common belief, one faith – Go Black Stars. The game at last kicks off – and before anyone has settled Prince Boateng has run half the length of the pitch to score a cracking goal – hysteria – have to check that we are not dreaming. Someone grabs me in a great bear hug - “I love you, I love you people”. Singing, dancing, we are on the way. Half time – so far so good but then the tide turns. After the break the yanks are off the block and take the game by the scruff of the neck. A goal has to come and sure enough they win a penalty – all square. For the rest of the game the Black Stars are on the back foot, restricted to occasional counter attacks and defending for their lives.


Extra time and somehow – by God’s grace – Black Stars get a new burst of energy and within minutes they are back in front – Gyan scores a brilliant goal – brings tears to the eyes. From then on we all know they can do it. Everyone runs their socks off – this is a team that plays together, for each other – Kingston holds the fort, sinking to his knees at the final whistle, giving thanks to God. The dream a little closer, the eyes and hearts of afrika – hosai Ghana – stumbling home, shaking hands, embracing, cheering – yes we are happeeee!