As people moved into the stadium, a brief drizzle came round. It went away before the teams arrived. Different groups of supporters started setting up at their chosen areas of the stadium and each had their own display of support. It was an incredibly lively atmosphere, with music and singing from each group overlapping the other. Vendors moved their way through the slowly growing crowd, selling benyets, soft drinks, and Senegalese gear.
The game started after the teams' formal entries and national anthems. It progressed very quickly and at times, I could not keep up. There was no clock display nor commentary, so I could only react to how the crowd reacted. Being a person who does not really know anything about football, let alone either teams, I was really there for the experience. Of course, I enjoyed immensely.
Senegal ended up scoring two goals, the latter being at 90th-minute penalty kick. The best parts of the game was when we (group of CIEE students) started an ole-ole chant after the first goal (which only really diffused to the fringes of our seating zone), and when a double rainbow revealed itself over the stadium. By the end, I was tired, sweaty, and very hungry. However, it was just amazing to be a part of the crowd, cheering on Senegal in solidarity with all the people around me. As I am writing this, Senegal is playing Cap Vert for the world cup qualifier, leading with a score of 1-0. I'll get back to that, and another post tomorrow. Until then!
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