Football match, 8/1

Firstly I don’t actually like football, and I have never been to a match. So why not for my first ever match the Liberian equivalent of the FA cup final!

Me with my permanent sweaty face and Augustine is to my right

I made my way out to the stadium without much of a clue where I was going to meet Augustine (a friend from Second Chance), in amongst hoards of people all going to the match I wait…typically he is late.  The atmosphere was football crazy!

Getting tickets was an interesting feat with only one ticket office open, but we got them eventually.  It seems the guards wanted people to queue but everyone was too eager to get in and tried push in. (the Mzungu card was of no use!)

Luckily Augustine bought us the more expensive seats so we were under shade, thankfully, we were ready for the match……!  Unfortunately the 3^rd place play off match was still going on and it was only half time. There was also a couple of 4x4 relay races and some other random stuff, which took up ages.  We were there over two hours before the match started to happen, by that time my bum was numb from sitting on concrete and I was seriously bored.


Things livened up when the President appeared to great the teams and finally the match started.

The President is that crowd somewhere!

 I never felt threatened, or stared at or singled out, even though I think I was the only white person there.  However I could not keep some anxiety a bay throughout the whole experience.  Football, beer, rivalry….are a bad combination anywhere.  This wasn’t helped by some trouble happening in one of the stands during half time, it was quickly stopped with a water cannon fired on them, and calmed down.







When the first goal was scored it was party time. Dancing, beer spraying everywhere, general chaos!                 

We only stayed until 15 minutes into the second half when we thought it best to get out of there.  This was easier said than done!

A great experience….perhaps not one I want to repeat too soon, mainly because I still don’t like football!