Africa Won, USA Out, while English Karma Disallows Goal

BLOEMFONTEIN. It was inevitable, with matches coming thick and fast, keeping up with the daily postings was going to be tricky. Apologies. 

Its Monday morning and after another hectic weekend and another 1000 kms later with my trusty Swedish vehicle, the tournament is truly beginning to take shape, including the as predicted, less than reliable refereeing decisions. 

Aint karma a bitch! Its taken some time for England’s allowed, but ‘not over the line’ 1966 winning goal to come back to them, but didn’t it come back with a vengeance in Bloemfontein yesterday as England searched for an equaliser and eventually bowed out.

Even from our end of the stand a good several hundred meters away from the contested goal line, our perch showed that the ball had crossed the line.

Then the sms’ began to flood in from New Jersey, Pretoria, and UK – ‘over by at least a yard’ … ‘should be 2-2’ … ‘shocking decision…’ and from friends in the ground… ‘the referee is wanker.’

Que sera sera. This is the World Cup! 

If the Germans don’t beat England including some luck or good fortune or dodgy decisions or penalties thrown in for good measure, then it just wouldn’t be as I have always known it. 

Despite supporting England, I knew Germany would win and they did. How can we forget Gary Linkekar’s favourite quip about 90 minutes, 22 players and the Germans win?

We can debate Lampard’s disallowed goal til the next blue moon, it won’t change the result. The Germans were better, they were luckier and they still deserved it. The disallowed goal simply saved us the drama of penalties, the same result, and a later departure for our 400km return trip to Johannesburg.

As noted during our previous Bloemfontein trip for Bafana Bafana v France, it is one of the most pleasant, well organised and easily accessible venues in the tournament. It was a straightforward morning drive south to the Free State, easy parking and easy access to the stadium. 

Fears of German and England fans mixing at the waterfront shopping mall before the match were overstated and dispelled. 

The English fans it must be said were rather pathetic, singing songs about England’s last significant victory over Germany in 2001 when they beat them 5-1 in qualifying. ‘5-1 even Heskey scored, 5-1 even Heskey scored,’ was the chant. Rather feeble really, and as England went down 4-1 one wondered if the full karmic turn was not going to leave the English fans even more red-faced.

Perhaps I am being a bit unfair. At 2-2, having pulled back the equaliser, certainly, Capello is right, it would have been a completely different match and the Germans would not have been able to effectively play their counter-attacking brand on the day. But why do England’s World Cup campaigns always end on that ‘what could have been’ note? Maybe because time and time again, or at least since 1990, they simply have not been good enough.

On the day, I supported England but found myself cringing as I looked around me. We observed obnoxious, petty and even hostile behaviour from the English supporters who could not shut it during the Uber Alles anthem. Ze Germans were forced into a tit for tat response and a few vuvuzelas could be heard during the God Save what’s her name song. As far as I am concerned, English and German nationalism can follow US nationalism into the dust bin of history. Failed ideologies that have, in the name of Empire and cultural superiority only brought misery upon the sisterhood of nations. Ze Germans at least have learned their lesson. Watching England’s continued mediocrity on the football pitch and in the stands makes one wonder if England has learned theirs.

Most of the top sides in the world now have a great mix of naturalised immigrant players, most notably, France’s winning 1998 side made up of Ghanaians (Desailly), Algerians (Zidane) and Senegalese (Vieria). Even Germany for some time has had Turkish and African players. The Mexicans, and the previously the Japanese, play with naturalised Brazilians. 

When England fully embraces the world and their immigrant community, including particularly at the academies of the big clubs like Man Utd and Chelsea, then England will be able to compete properly in the World Cup and reshape their future on the football pitch. Until such time however, I fear it will continue to be mediocrity, clouded by club rivalries, foreign coaches who don’t really get it and crowing about bad luck and unfair decisions. To be honest, while unsurprised, I was disappointed by the result on the day and that non-call, not so much because of England’s exit, but the fact that the Ze German machine rolls on. Despite all our calls for a non-traditional World Cup and the emergence of a new challenger, with Brazil, Germany and Argentina still alive, it is increasingly looking like the same old suspects.

As for Saturday night in Rustenburg, the Black Stars victory over the USA means that Africa is still in this and have a great chance of attaining their first ever semi-finalists. 

As we approached the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, we could see the helicopters flying in the dignitaries only to find out via sms from our friends in their living rooms that Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger were in attendance. Good on them. 

When I was told that Jagger and Clinton where at the game in Rustenburg, initially I thought it was George Clinton of P-funk fame only later to find out that he was in fact performing at Glastonbury. 

What a pity. 

The USA had a bit too much Doobie in their funk and could have used some intergalactic magic a la George Clinton to over come the shooting Black Stars. 

Africa 2 – USA 1. It was a thing of beauty.

We also witnessed some more unsavoury scenes from some of the USA contingent who refused to take their seats resulting in ugly American bickering with local South African Ghana supporters. 

We actually witnessed for the first time the vuvuzela being used as a cultural weapon as South African supporters directed their distain towards their USians counter parts by blowing their vuvus in anger directly at them. I even had two US supporters ask me snidely which part of Ghana I was from as I was prominently displaying my Ghana scarf and Black Star wrist band. What could I say, Accra… New Jersey? Its amazing the provincialism of some these supporters for whom clearly local is lekker and affiliation is simply a question of place. If you are from the US, for them, I suppose, obviously you support America. Apparently these colours don’t run, or emigrate.

For me affiliation and affection for teams is a much more contested terrain and marked by my own mixed history. I live in Africa. I love living in Africa. I thirst for a different world order where a new dispensation emerges ensuring that opportunity, advancement and progress is not cut up and determined by the legacy of empire, colonialism and capitalism. While we are meant to be experiencing an African World Cup, so much of the economic fundamentals of the tournament is being dictated by narrow commercial interest and the repatriation of media profits by FIFA and their cronies. Whether it be merely symbolic, or something more emotional even, what the likes of Ghana represent for this competition is something amazing and the promise that on the field of play, Africa can excel against, exceed and defeat the Great Powers. That is exactly what the Black Stars did on Saturday evening against the dogged US team and may the Ghanaian wave continue to break Uruguayan hopes and ride them into the semi-finals.

If local is lekker, its interesting to see how local in the South African context is being reconfigured. It was amazing to see the huge South African support for Ghana across the racial divide including countless white South Africans, including Black Star face painters. I can’t help feel that this has the potential of build positive consciousness amongst the non-black South African communities, many of whose cultural orientation remains linked to Europe. The support Ghana is now receiving in South Africa is truly remarkable and one hopes that it is a harbinger of a more enlightened outlook towards the Continent and lives beyond the World Cup.

Tonight it is back to Ellis Park for Brazil v Chile before flying to Cape Town tomorrow for the clash of the Iberians. I would expect few surprises this evening. While the Chilean have endeared themselves to the neutrals, not only their fans, with the team’s attractive attacking football, having seen them so easily capitulate to the Spanish on Friday night at Loftus makes me fear that the Brazilians will have too much for them tonight. It will be interesting to see if Dunga reverts to his starting 11 or continues to use Dani Alves in a central midfield role for Elano.

As for Spain v Portugal, it is with great anticipation that I look forward to seeing my first match at the new Greenpoint Stadium in my old neighborhood. After a very slow start, the Spanish have finally arrived at the 2010 edition and with the star quality and household names across the pitch, one wonders if they are not a form team of sorts heading into the knock out rounds. This one is really too close to call as Portugal, having yet to concede, gave little indication of their true potential after the less then rousing stalemate with Brazil on Friday. With some hesitation and doubt, my money is on Ronaldo and Quieroz to pull the Portuguese into yet another quarterfinal. Let’s hope if the Portuguese do prevail, they do it with their footballing flair and not their theatrics and diving, which can make them a less than compelling outfit.

As for the Dutch this afternoon, short of a major shocker in Durban, one would expect them to beat the valiant Slovaks. Having knocked out the holders, the Slovaks are gearing themselves up for another major scalp. Let’s hope these matches are decided by the best teams winning as opposed to dodgy decisions, play acting, or for that matter the lottery of penalties. Despite what appeared to be lopsided defeats of England and Mexico - a decision here, some luck there and things could have been different. There are no easy matches left in the tournament. Often it is on the margins where these issues will be settled.

Lastly, hats off to Carlos (don't kiss it, eat the badge) Tevez, that menace, on his goal of the tournament for 3-0 and I'm not referring to the off-sides one. 

What a strike. Argentina v Germany, 4pm Sat 3 July at Green Point in Cape Town in the quarters, is beginning to look like an instant classic.