Socceroos in Rustenburg

June 19

My first game today, Australia vs. Ghana, at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. The photo team of 3 other AFP photographers meet us at the guesthouse and we head to the stadium early. Even from a distance, you hear the vuvuzela horns as fans begin to arrive. A sea of Australian yellow greets us as we enter the field. You see the occational Ghanian flag waving but the majority are here for the Socceroos.

Here I am before the game, in the classic orange photo vest, which we have to wear on the sidelines. My seat is on the far left, with my computer on the grass below it. The set up is rather complicated, various cables hook up my main camera to the computer and a direct internet line to the AFP bureau in the main World Cup media center in Johannesburg. But all seems to work well with 2 of my cameras, the third doesn’t want to connect. I’m only using the 2, so that’s not a problem.

The Australians start off well, getting a goal early in the first half. But yet another Socceroo draws a red card which results in a penalty kick for Ghana. Asamoah Gyan (number 3) delivers and the Ghanians display a much better victory dance than the Australians.

The game goes by quickly, no time outs, continuous play for 45 minutes each half. I manage to eat ¼ of a muffin at halftime. Everything works well and AFP is happy with our photos. We head out of the stadium though remarkably well organized traffic cops and are back at our guesthouse for the braai (barbeque) that the hosts had planned for the guests.