TAKE2: Bafana fever hits SA
Entrepreneurial types are hawking flags and shirts at intersections and on the roadside in Johannesburg, while workers are flaunting office-wear in favour of bright yellow sweaters.
The US win over Spain on Wednesday night has energised football fans who believe this Confed Cup could be the triumph of the underdogs. Egypt beat Italy, the US beat Spain.
“If Bafana win it will be great for football globally, because belief will be stronger among the underdogs,” enthused football fan Allie Logday, who believes this in turn will lead to a display of “amazing football” at the World Cup next year.
Radio talk-show hosts are all over the topic, and speculation is rife in the sports pages of the dailies.
On the 1 900-member strong Facebook group “Supporters of Bafana Bafana”, discussions are not so much well-though out arguments as words of support, along the lines of “Wish you luck Bafana”, “Bafana for the final”, and “Make us proud boys”.
There hasn’t been enough hype for Bafana Bafana to be listed as one of the “trending topics” on Twitter, but the tweets have been flying thick and fast since the Americans bundled Spain out of the competition. A hopeful sentiment echoing through the twittersphere is that if the US could overthrow the Spaniards, South Africa can upset the Brazilians.
In true Twitter fashion, there were also the more banal posts—people praying for miracles, talking about practising their vuvuzela skills or just shouting “Wooooo!!!”
The bookies will likely make a killing on Thursday night too. Tweeps are suggesting everything from a 3-2 win for South Africa to “2-0 by halftime”.
I’ve yet to find a party-pooper proclaiming that Brazil will beat the Boys.
