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TheThe New Vision, Thursday,Thursday, JulyJuly 8, 2010 SOCCER 47 WhoÊs the ref for the final? JOHANNESBURG Ticket rush Like a very sombre game of musical chairs, the number of referees is now down to ten. The English team, of ref- eree Howard Webb, and his assistants Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey, have enjoyed an exceptional World Cup but were not assigned any semi-final games. Hungary’s Viktor Kassai and Uzbekistan’s Ravshan Irmatov were awarded the semi-finals, leaving Webb and seven others vying for the final and the third- place match. Precedent indicates that a refe- DURBAN Corendon chartered two ree is rarely extra Boeing 747’s to fly awarded the Dutch football fans scrambled about 1,000 supporters to final in his Wednesday for pricey, last- Johannesburg on Saturday first World minute tickets to South Africa night, at a package price of Cup, so nar- Webb as the country went football some 2,000 euros (2,500 dol- rowing crazy after reaching the World lars) per person. Webb’s Cup final for the first time in “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chances. 32 years. happening,” the spokesman FIFA is also loath to hand Orange flags took over city said. “People just want to be the honour to a referee streets after the national part of it.” who has just overseen the team’s 3-2 win over Uruguay Thousands of fans jammed Champions League in the semi-final. Some people the lines of travel companies denouement, which Webb covered their homes with plas- to see if there was any way did to great acclaim in tic sheets in the national col- to be in South Africa for the Madrid. FIFA should, how- our, others wore orange or put final. “Our telephone lines ever, be aware that an in- it on their cars and bicycles. are buzzing,” Wim Gramsma, form referee might be “It is typically Dutch: once marketing director of travel injured in four years’ time. the orange craze erupts every- company Oad, told AFP. It may well transpire that one wants to be part of it!” He said Oad had about 8,000 Webb must wait for Brazil Dick Gussen of the Corendon people wanting to travel on 2014 for the climax of his travel agency told AFP ahead standby but only about 1,000 career. of Sunday’s final. would be successful. Samuel Eto'o Fils Date of birth: 10 March 1981 (age 29) Dutch fans can be irritating but itÊs worth the adventure Country: Cameroon he World Cup semi-fi- standing behind me. Height: nals, third-place play- Everyone tried to be good- Toff and final are going humoured about it — but I 1.78 m to test the already-flagging wasn’t. I realised I was Position: stamina of the media pack soaked in sweat — most of here. it not mine. Striker Given that the first semi It was nasty experience was played in Cape Town in although the one inside the south and the other in Green Point was a whole lot Durban in the east, given more pleasant and worth that both kicked-off at the occasion. 9:30pm Ugandan time and Going to a World Cup the fact that they were on match sometimes feels consecutive nights, there to do but unlike on Tuesday, more like going to a rock are going to be a lot of tired this time not in the compa- festival than a football media types travelling the ny of the Dutch fans that I match. Everybody is usual- length of the country — me encountered on my trip ly fantastically pleased to included. from Cape Town to Durban be there, and large sections I’m in Durban now after a after the Netherlands’ 3-2 Dutch fans celebrate yesterday of the crowd spend their 13-hour (1606km) journey win over Uruguay. time taking photos of their from Cape Town. I have never regarded mates against the backdrop I was meant to head back myself as a person of of the pitch — or posing to Johannesburg an hour restricted growth. I would say they were like to battle Spain in the other with fans from other after the Germany-Spain But even somebody who cattle trucks or like travel- semi-final. nations. game yesterday, take a day stands a perfectly respecta- ling in Uganda in the 1970s. I found myself shoved Most people get to the sta- off on Friday then proceed ble 5 feet 8in inevitably The best possible means of into the middle with my dium at least two hours to Port Elizabeth for the feels like a dwarf in the getting to your destination face pressed against the early, to enjoy the drama, third-place play-off at the company of large numbers after a game at the Green sweating hairy chest of a the warm-ups and the thud- majestic Nelson Mandela of gigantic, orange-clad Point Stadium is with the boisterous seven-footer in ding music played over the Bay Stadium on Saturday. Dutch football fans. use of the luxurious Blue orange dungarees and an PA, most of which have I won’t return to In the train from Cape Train that runs a number orange fright wig. been South African hits. Johannesburg until 5am Town, I was not just in of routes within South Something pointy was Events at the Moses Sunday morning when I their company — but Africa. also drilling into my neck; Mabida Stadium in Durban will head straight to the crammed tightly up against There was a huge surge of when I eventually worked were no different yesterday media centre to collect my them. The problem was that jolly, chanting, orange my head around; I saw that and like the arrangement is ticket for the grand final. the trains from Cape Town giants that preferred the it was the nipple of a large around most stadiums in In the next few days, there to Durban are usually cra- same means to Durban, pair of plastic breasts, Uganda, there was plenty will be plenty of travelling zily crowded. where Germany were due worn by the Dutch fan of merry-making..

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