Warring and Strife

In a twist of fate rich with the fat of irony, Ghana who has faced a year full of injuries redoubled by further injuries is now beset by internal discord.

And the discord this time lies not internal to the Black Stars camp, but among its supporters.

Last night in Port Said, where Ghana have been competing in the African Nations Cup, two factions of Ghana supporters set against one another leading to rioting in the streets and much gnashing of teeth. The discord started when one group, Sugha, planted a flag on the same spot where another group, the Ghana Supporters Union, planted theirs the match before. Clearly this led to some distaste and words being shared among the clans of supporters.

One might have expected the favorable outcome to cheer both band of supporters, and even more that the victory be treated as an omen to suggest that Sugha’s hanging of its flag in said location be an act of providence, but unfortunately, cooler heads did not prevail. This did not occur, however, as the fortunate flag was torn away, leading to later confrontations among the supporter groups.

Egyptian fans, watching this spectacle, were led to consider whether both groups weren’t cheering the same side and marvelling at the discord. Clearly they know not the Ghanaian national character well enough, nor do they understand the reasons why as fertile a football patch as Ghana has had such limited success on the international scene.

In other news, captain Stephen Appiah, the Man of the Match versus Senegal, was injured in the 89th minute. His foot is being examined in detail to determine whether he will be able to continue, but his presence for tomorrow’s crucial match versus Zimbabwe is very much in question. Should he not be able to participate, the Black Stars’ faint hopes in CAN may in fact be dashed, especially as Laryea Kingston will not be available owing to his regrettable dive and resulting red card in the match.