Soccerphile’s Ross Clegg found a working PC to email in this review of the action at the African Cup of Nations in Ghana.
African Cup of NationsSo far the tournament has produced some good games and some great goals. The stadiums are just pure noise with fans all play bazaar just making their own sounds in little groups. So whilst there is an atmosphere inside the stadiums, it is definitely not your European one.
These groups of fans are partly made up of companies who have transported workers in and they all sit together with the same t-shirts on and sing together. I heard the longest ever version of “Michael Rode The Boat Ashore” at the opening match.
Travelling between games you take your life in your hands as you can count sometime on more than one hand the number of vehicles, normally container lorries, lying abandoned by the side of the road.
The venues are not too far apart but the state of the roads means that it is something of a chore travelling from place to place. My longest journey to date is 12 and a half hours from Tamale to Accra overnight by minibus, through bandit country!
Ghanaians have been very friendly especially handing in passports that foreigners lose.
Still trying to buy tickets officially but I have not managed it yet. The police are arresting locals who have sold tickets for 2 pounds more than face value. Ghana Commercial Bank which is meant to sell the tickets, keep telling me to come back tomorrow, which is a common Ghanaian phrase which also translates as try again later.
J-League Fixture List announced
The 2008 J-League fixture list has been announced, with the season kicking off on March 8 and winding up on December 6 after 34 rounds of matches.
The highlight match of the opening round is the clash between heavyweights Yokohama F. Marinos and Urawa Reds at Nissan Stadium.
Kashima Antlers kick-off their title defence by hosting J2 champions Consadole Sapporo in their opening fixture at Kashima Stadium.
The second week of action sees Consadole Sapporo host Yokohama F. Marinos at the Sapporo Dome, whilst Urawa take on a much-changed Nagoya Grampus FC at Saitama Stadium in their first home match of the season.
As usual the Golden Week holiday period is an action-packed affair, with the pick of the fixtures the Shizuoka Derby between bitter rivals Shimizu S-Pulse and Jubilo Iwata on May 3.
Omiya Ardija will host city rivals Urawa Reds at the newly renovated NACK5 Stadium on September 20, with Omiya sacrificing a big payday at the gate in favour of home advantage, having switched this fixture from the much larger Saitama Stadium.
The fixture list is subject to change as a result of the Beijing Olympic Games, whilst qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup also takes place throughout the season.
League Cup Fixture List announced
The draw for the 2008 League Cup has also been announced, with the group stage kicking off on March 20 and wrapping up on June 8.
Group A
Nagoya Grampus FC
Kyoto Sanga FC
Urawa Reds
Vissel Kobe
Group B
Tokyo Verdy
FC Tokyo
Shimizu S-Pulse
Jubilo Iwata
Group C
Kawasaki Frontale
JEF United
Kashiwa Reysol
Consadole Sapporo
Group D
Yokohama F. Marinos
Oita Trinita
Alberix Niigata
Omiya Ardija
Indian Matka 