The disappointing date was 02nd July 2010 and the time was 18:30hrs GMT. If you don’t know what I am talking about, then you must be from another planet. Almost all people living on this planet, moreprecisely, on this continent, know or may have heard of the “Go Africa”, phenomena associated with the 2010 World Cup being hosted in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). That said and done, there were lots of disappointments starting with the “Samba Boys” playing against the “Dutch” (not the French Germans though). The highly anticipated “hunters” ended up being the “hunted”, in a thrilling match, where the many times world champs, Brazil, were beaten at their game by Netherlands! As they say, “Soccer is Soccer”, so the giants werehumbled down by the “minors”. To me and to most Africans, that was not the real match we all had been waiting for, it was the one between the “Black Stars” of Ghana and the (sijui what they call themselves) Uruguay, that was a “million dollar” game! Much as we are made to believe that, “Foot Ball is a Clean Game”, there is a lot to be desired. Sincerely, Africa (I mean Ghana) played very fine to the extent that, “our” second goal was “killed” by that cheating “Uruguayan” player (forget his name), he simply caught the ball in the goal post as if he were the Goal Keeper! Many of you will agree with me that, if winning was based on the brilliant passes and ball possessions on the field, the whole of the African continent would be celebrating Ghana’s advancement to the Semi-finals of the 2010 world cup. As the English saying goes, “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride”; let us not dwell on spilt milk, there is nothing we can do to reverse the status quo! I suppose, the best we could expect is an apology from FIFA’s Blather (whatever he is called) about the Uruguayan turning the would have otherwise been a“clean game” into a “dirty game”. Much as we may be bitterly cursing the fate that befell our team, the Uruguayans are busy hailing the “impostor goalie” as their hero of the year; and I suppose, his name may be written the Uruguayan hall of fame. Even long after he is gone or on Tombstone, they could write “Here Lays the Gallant Footballer that Put Uruguay Back into the 2010 World Cup after an Obvious Loss”. To me and many Africans, our World Cup hopes for an African Country to make history by playing in the quarter finals if not taking the goddamn cup were dashed in that “hand ball”. In brief, that was my “World Cup Finale”, we shall only watch others play from just the sidelines. It is now a matter between Europe and South America. On a consolation note, the mighty Brazil and Argentina fell atthe same level; we could easily equate our Ghana to the two Giants. Carry on Ghana; you will definitely do better in the 2014 World Cup. Mfashumwana@fastmail.fm
