Free State Stadium - Top notch!

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI


On Sunday October 10, 2010, I was at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein City, South Africa to witness the Macufe Cup football clash between two key clubs, Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic.

My mind briefly wandered to the days I was an avid football follower in Nigeria, then, a regular at the Stadia like Liberty Stadium, Adamasingba, Sportscity, Surulere, Onikan stadia. I was (still) a sucker for the extravagantly skillful football player – the likes of Etim Essien, Samson Siasia, Kayode Balogun among others

How well I remember the 1989 national team of Nigeria which should have gone on to qualify for the World Cup finals and rock the world like Cameroon did in 1990. With talents like Stephen Keshi, Siasia, Etim Essien, Wole Odegbami, Richard Owubokiri etc, that was a skillful team indeed. But it was not to be, and Nigeria very narrowly missed out on qualification.

Now as I was ensconced at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, my mind again went back to the days I came here regularly to cover games for South African national publications like Sowetan and Sapa; days of mixing with the crème de la crème of South African football writers, white and black – Sy Lerman, Mark Glesson, Teboho Setena, Mpikeleni Duma, etc.

The Free State Stadium was of course one of the venues that hosted the World Cup games some months ago when South Africa proudly hosted the world. A number of key matches were played there including the England vs Germany clash, and South Africa vs France. But from the Nigerian perspective, the Greece vs Nigeria World Cup match was eagerly awaited at that time at this stadium.

How well I remember that ill-starred game! It was a very cold day in Bloemfontein, but at least the game took place in the afternoon. Nigerians flocked to the stadium so sure that the Super Eagles would win – happily recollecting the 2-0 World Cup win over Greece in 1994.But it was not to be.

Although the Eagles took an early lead, they were to throw everything away as the match petered out. 1- 0 in favour of Nigeria became a depressing 2-1 loss and many Nigerians were incensed and none too happy with the loss by the Eagles side which was reduced to ten men. It was dispiriting stuff.

Of course the international focus was extraordinary when Germany played England during the World Cup at the Free State Stadium. It was again uncanny how the English fans managed to make their way to Bloemfontein in many thousands to support their team. A few days earlier, I had been in Johannesburg and met a number of English fans with ‘Barmy Army’ inscribed on their shirts, as they prepared to travel in droves to Bloemfontein city for the big game. Some went by luxury bus, some via trains, others decided to fly.

What a shock for the English in Bloemfontein city as their team crashed 4-1 to the German side that had too much youthful zest and fizz! How well I remember the utter dejection of the English fans around the stadium after the game ended; even those at the nearby Tourist Centre had disbelief and shock etched on their faces.

The Free State Stadium is also the famed home for the Free State Cheetahs, a powerful Rugby outfit that has used the Stadium for years; before football got in on the act. In the Macufe Cup, Bloemfontein Celtic won the game against Chiefs, thanks to penalties!