SOUTH AFRICA: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - WORLD CUP 2010: Ghana and Uruguay fans arrive for quarter-final clash

Record ID: 453173

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - WORLD CUP 2010: Ghana and Uruguay fans arrive for quarter-final clash
  • Date: 3rd July 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GHANA FAN NAMED GIFTY, SAYING: "It's great and it's from all over, every African. Zimbabwe, it's from all over and that's wonderful. And today I saw on South African television, everyone was wearing the Ghana Jersey and that was really nice and touching." FANS ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) URUGUAY FAN MAIAR SOLYVIANSKY SAYING: "Uruguay is the best because Uruguay has history, tradition, a good team and all the talent in the world." SOLYVIANSKY WITH FRIENDS
  • Embargoed: 18th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6FQ3YQE7OMZC7GOFYBS1AL3V9
  • Story Text: Ghana and Uruguay fans come to Soccer City stadium convinced their team will reach the semi-finals.
    Ghana's Black Stars and their fans come to their quarter-final match with Uruguay on Friday (July 2) with the backing of considerable numbers of Africans across the continent.
    Ghana's team are making their bid to become the first Africans to reach the semi-finals after beating USA, and their success has won them fans across South Africa, Zimbabwe and other African nations.
    Ghana fan Kingston said Ghana had his backing.
    "An African team being in the World Cup at this level, every South African, every African will support them and we are all here to support them," he said.
    The South African media have seized on the opportunity to drum up the support that South Africa's soccer team Bafana Bafana enjoyed at the beginning of the tournament before they were bundled out. Radio stations called for all Africans to wear Ghanaian colours for the match and the Ghana team were even named 'Baghana, Baghana' by some to continue the association.
    Bradley, a South African supporting Ghana, gave his reasons. "African team, Baghana, Baghana," he said.
    Reflecting a mood across the continent, South African newspapers had headlines backing Ghana's attempt to beat the previous best performance by an African team.
    Another fan, Gifty, said that supporting Ghana was bringing Africa together.
    "It's great and it's from all over, every African," she said. "Zimbabwe, it's from all over and that's wonderful. And today I saw on South African television, everyone was wearing the Ghana jersey and that was really nice and touching."
    Despite the popular support for Ghana, Uruguay has a solid fan base who want to see their South American team goes through.
    Maiar Solyviansky said "Uruguay is the best because Uruguay has history, tradition, a good team and all the talent in the world."
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