VIVA VUVUZELA !

Twenty five year old South African midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala takes aim and unleashes a ferocious cross shot hurtling past the Mexican keeper Perez to ignite not only a nations expectations but an entire continent.
Suddenly it was real.
Those many sceptics who claim that handing south Africa the world cup is akin to letting a baby play with a razor blade have been momentarily silenced. After an opening half when Mexico cruelly outclassed their hosts, Tshabalala's dramatic 55th minute strike is clearly day light robbery but happily not the type the doubters were predicting. The 84,000 present here in Johannesburg at the soccer city stadium whoop with delight as Bafana Bafana joyfully celebrate a clearly rehearsed party piece at the corner circle.
Sadly one man missing from this most special of days for South Africa is former President 91-year-old Nelson Mandela whose personality and status did more than most to ensure the world cup finally came to grace African soil. Mandela's great granddaughter died tragically in a car crash only yesterday and stricken by grief he felt unable to attend. Sometimes ever the beautiful game fades in comparison to what really matters.
Now comes the vuvuzelas. Viva Vuvuzela! Demented wailing or patriotic support depending on your birth of origin this African horn plays out like an approaching swarm of locusts that is blind to the eye but an irritant to the ear. A constant maddening hum.
As the vuvuzela creates a deafening soundtrack to events the game restarts with the aggrieved Mexicans once more launching all out assaults. In the dark continent expecting the unexpected is quite the norm and as Siphiwe Tshabalala's thunderbolt exploded into the Mexican net it appears the 19th world cup is not about to disappoint.

cfieldsoffire@aol.com