World Cup fever has struck the Ridge area with a vengeance and the Ridge has been humming with activity ever since the arrival of the Greeks and the Cameroonians at their respective hotels.
On match days the Umhlanga streets have been full of fans all sporting the jerseys of their respective teams, cars have been bedecked in flags and motorists hooted their support while driving through the streets.
For the first match at the Moses Mabhida stadium on June 13 Australian and German fans were spotted in local pubs as they enjoyed a cold beverage while waiting for the big moment when they would board their transport to the stadium area. Unfortunately for the Aussies it was to be a dark day on the pitch as they were slammed 4-0 by a confident German outfit, who were better in every department on the day.
The Beverly Hills hotel has been inundated with fans of the Greek team, shock winners of the 2004 European Championships, and who have qualified for the Word Cup for only the second time in their history. A strong contingent of international media were camped out outside the hotel, hoping to catch the latest news on German-born coach Otto Rehhagel’s charges, who unfortunately were easily beaten by Korea Republic (South Korea) in their first match.
Its neighbour The Oyster Box was humming with activity and seemed to be a hit with many of the foreign visitors, while staff were ecstatic at the opportunity of seeing their heroes Cameroon in the flesh, with star striker Samuel Eto’os name popping up most often.
Staff at Hooters reported strong support for World Cup games with an “incredible vibe” when Bafana Bafana took on Mexico in the opening match. There was also a good turnout for the England-USA game.
The Hellenic Club in Durban North hosted the Greek team for a cocktail function on June 7, to welcome the team and wish them all the best for their campaign which kicked off in Port Elizabeth on June 12 against Korea Republic. This also offered members of the Hellenic community a chance to meet the Greek stars.
For the epic clash between top teams Portugal and Brazil the town was awash with fans who headed into Durban before the match. The Moses Mabhida Stadium was a riot of colour and fans partied long and hard into the night, filling the many bars and restaurants in Durban and on the Ridge.