Once in a Lifetime Experience...

We are lucky enough to be in Africa during the most exciting time for football (soccer). The World Cup is next year in South Africa and all the qualifying games are beginning to take place. Abuja has one of the largest stadiums in Africa, so there are quite a few games being held at the stadium. Six of us from the school thought that it would be a "once in a lifetime" experience to attend the football game on Sunday. Tunisia and Nigeria were playing...Tunisia being up one win. The atmosphere was intense. If Nigeria lost, they were out of the running.

As we were driving to school (the meeting place) we bought Jordan a jersey from a road vendor...it ended up fitting me and not Jordan. Since the school is across from the stadium we all parked at the school, which is guarded and locked, and walked. We arrived 2 hours early. At that point there were barely an seats vacant. The game ended with a 2-2 tie. The next game both teams play will determine who continues through the qualifying stages.

Devising the "game" plan

Quiet the congestion. This is the 4 lane highway infront of our school which turned into a parking lot

(so glad we parked at the school)

Jordan and I trying to make our way throgh the crowd

Walking to the stadium. Ended up being about a 2 mile walk from the school.

Almost to the stadium...we were still trying to find a big enough jersey for Jordan

The group minus Brian, the camera man

We all wore green so that there would be no reason to stand out (ha ha)

The ticket ( 300 naira = $2)


The crowded stadium. (This is only half of the stadium) I'm surprised we still had our seats waiting for us


The first goal and all the chaos it brought