Nigeria 1, Sierra Leone 0

The national football team, the Sierra Leone Stars, was about to play its first game in the newly renovated (painted) stadium. There was a buzz in the city the morning of the match. Traffic was jammed. Poda-podas were bouncing around the city with fans spilling out the sides. There were massive queues at police stations where tickets were being sold.

I had visions of taking 6-year-old Nasio to the game, but people advised against it. Advice ranged from “don’t bring a camera” to “don’t go”, and “definitely don’t take a small boy with you!”

Government messages on the radio asked for peace and order, and warned that the game would be cancelled if crowds got out of hand. People were urged to show the rest of the world that Sierra Leone can hold international matches without problems.

I arrived at the stadium to see a giant, single-file line-up, snaking from the lone open gate to the street. No one was out of place. One behind the other. Few police. No barriers to manage the line. No shouting. No pushing. Just one huge, single-file line-up. It was quite the sight. There is more disorder in a grocery store queue back home.

At the gate (We jumped the queue. The crowd was so docile), police ushered us in. There was a bit of pushing and yelling at the choke point. My camera was strapped to my neck, two fold. But all this made the excitement.

It was a fabulous experience. The stadium is beautiful. And the Sierra Leoneans are good fans. The crowd was not dissimilar to what you’d get at an OHL hockey game. Loud people. People falling over. Noise makers. Yelling at players. The whole sports package. Except for a few differences. The other team’s fans are separated from everyone else by a large fence with barbwire. (Sens fans wish they’d do the same for Leaf fans at the Scotia Bank Place). I didn’t see washrooms. No booze allowed. And, did I mention that the Nigerian fans were separated by a large fence with barbwire?

I was incredibly impressed with the order of the event and the peacefulness of the fans. Especially when Nigeria scored with 5 mins left in the game to win. Their fans erupted. Even I wanted to jump the fence and fight the Nigerians! Or at least throw my Pringles tube at them. I hate to say it; because I love to sit in the Molson section at the Bell Centre with a large Creemore while watching the Habs, I am sure a drunken audience at this game would have spelled trouble. But I would have loved to have a cold Creemore or two during that game. :-)

We walked home. Everyone was disappointed with the loss. Sierra Leoneans hate being last at everything. But, when the team bus passed us on the crowded road, everyone stopped to clap and cheer. A beautiful and telling gesture.

The Stars play South Africa next week. Maybe I’ll take Nasio.