The Football

Well, I've never been to a football match before but I thought here was a good time to start and I went to the under-20s Gambia vs Seirra Leone match, thought it might be fun, and I was right!

Getting in was a challenge, as three toubab (white) girls we did stand out quite a lot, we attempted to find the appropriate queue for ticket purchase, however, as with many things it was not easy! The queue appeared to be masses of people, swarming round the gates trying to push their way in, with army guys taking an occassional swing with their baton to ensure everyone remained in some sort of order. At this point an utterly random boy decided we were in need of help (as an aside I've never heard any body use the phrase 'it's not easy' so many times in relation to one event!), he took our money and went to try and get our tickets, when he returned there was still no tickets but at least he found a policeman friend who pulled us through the first ticket check and they went and bought our tickets (and many other peoples – anyone with any sort of connection to him were utilising his kind nature). But there was still another ticket check to get past and everyone just tries to push through which pisses off the police and army men so they swipe about with their batons – it has to be said it looks like they are trying not to hit anybody. A part from one guy who was guarding the VIP entrance, he seemed like a bit of a crazy man – we tried to get in this way but got swooshed back in quite a scary fashion. Eventually the boy who had been helping us from the outset saw another of his friends – who was an off duty army man, woohoo! The most unlikely looking help if ever there was, in his trakie bottoms vest top and straw hat but off he went. He signalled to the guys guarding the gate and they pulled us through the crowd and we were in! And we only missed half an hour or so of the game!

We were sat next to drums and crazy dancers it was great fun, didn't pay too much attention to the match it has to be said, but was busy watching the dancers, watching the people kinda jumping out the stand cos of over crowding (major problem number two). I'd like to point out that this was not too great a distance, however, some people did get taken away on a stretcher. Hopefully they were all ok.

At half time the referees got escourted off the court by police (does this happen at home?) just in case the players were a bit pissed off with the results!

Fans threw a firework and then water bags out towards the pitch, landing nearish the opposition bench, not the best. And then a player who seemed to be faking a fowl tackle had apparently had a curse put on him by the opposite team, I hope he was ok.

Gambia won 4 – 0 woohoo. And then everyone was jumping down from the stands again to storm onto the pitch, people kept dancing in front of the crazy army man who would chase them away, and then we realised that what we had initially found a bit scary was actually all part of the excitement and fun of the game!

So thats just part of the qualifing rounds for the African Youth Cup so I'm sure there'll be plenty more matches to head to!