After all the waiting, the angst, the drama and excitement, the games have finally begun, writes Garth Johnstone.
We’ve watched the days tick down, from winning the bid to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup draw, to the 100 days countdown and finally the kick-off of the big tournament, but on June 13 the World Cup circus finally came to town.
And what a journey it’s been, full of controversy, joy, acrimony, innovation, frustration, pride and achievement.
It was fitting that the first World Cup match to be played in Durban was between Germany and Australia, the Old World v the New, established soccer superpower v the upstarts, humble yet also confident in their abilities.
Africa’s first World Cup is in so many ways about the new world taking on the established system and so I decided to get firmly behind the Aussies.
Loud and brash they are reputed to be, but when you think of it, surely our friends from Down Under are not so different to us . . . fun and sun loving beachgoers, cricket and rugby mad . . . soccer mad. They like a good barbecue and a beer or three, and also produce great wine, sound familiar anyone? But perhaps what really ties us together is our mutual passion for sport and the outdoors, and our single-minded determination to win, with the Aussies perhaps taking the cake when you look at their list of achievements. Just don’t mention the Super 14 too loudly.
Eish, it’s just a pity the poor old Aussies came across a German team that was confident, controlled and clinical . . .it looked for most of the night like the Aussies were chasing shadows. Four-one is a hiding in anybody’s language.
And what about this swanky tent town that’s been set up at Kingsmead cricket ground . . . I bet that’ll be the best party in town over the next few weeks.
Hope you Ridge readers have snapped up tickets for the Brazil v Portugal clash though, that’s going to be the hottest ticket in town. Bring on the beautiful game.
Send in your comments. Till next time.