This past weekend we attended a World Cup Qualifier between Benin and Mali. After paying $10 for the most expensive tickets available, we thought we would have comfortable seats and a great view of the game. However, once we finally found our gate, the doors were blocked by security guards who were keeping protesting fans at bay. I immediately assumed that they had overbooked the venue and there was no more space. Things got ugly and a few opinionated fans received a beating from the guards.Soon the same thing was happening at one of the cheaper gates. I thought it best for us to get inside as soon as possible, else we'd probably miss the match. We swiftly moved to the other side of the stadium and slipped into a $2 ticket gate. It was a bit frustrating to not get what we paid for, but the seats we found were fine. In fact, I think we ended up having a better experience because we seemed to be surrounded by the 'real' fans. And now we know that $2 tickets will be just fine for the next game against Ghana in October.
The match itself was spectacular. All kitted out in our newly acquired Benin shirts, we cheered for 'The Squirrels' (as they're known) with as much vigour as the locals. Mali went ahead in the 2nd half. The stadium dropped a few decibels in volume. Water bottles and other objects began to descend upon the Mali fans. But then Benin came back with a cracker in the dying minutes. In an instant the entire mood changed. Leaving fans came rushing back in. Everyone was ecstatic.Having missed out on the Confederations Cup back home, it was great to attend a live match here. It kinda completes my West African experience. Benin will have to win the next match against Ghana to stand any chance of qualifying for 2010. It should be a cracking game.
