Next Stop: The Theatre Of Dreams.

Lets talk football again.

I missed three great things in a day on Saturday the 14th. Bunni Olape, the Nigerian IM had just remembered me and sent an invite to me about a National Chess Championship at the National Stadium Surulere. I forgot to reply the text to confirm if I'll be there. That was not by choice but due to pure memory erasure that was the 2nd week of the 'go-live'. It has been a little hectic trying to be more ready than we really were. Then The Warriors had arrived in Nairobi the previous day Friday and the mood was just Nyayo. I missed that match. It was of more interest to us because as the week progressed there were intensed fan-sparring between us on one foot and the ardent Warrior's native and self-proclaimed professional soccer fanatic Lucky boy. So it was the d-day and we let the games begin.

Before I skip it I should say that the greatest thing I missed that Saturday was the sabbath - and it was a third sabbath running.

The Match

The star studded Zimbabwean team has of late been a tricky fixture and opponent to many a team in Africa. They have terrorised contests especially in Southern Africa and their visit to Nairobi was one I felt indecisive about until the other day after going through certain analytical paces around the Nyayo Stadium. So I promised Luckson fireworks and 'silencing'. I somehow knew that the fact that all the Warriors were professional players plying their trade outside Zimbabwe could be their own doing and source of loss. I have been there to watch stars brought down to compete with minnows - a pathetic situation that usually leave them struggling with their own fear of being outsmarted - then they lack the composer and ingenuity for a good duration of the match especially if initiative is stolen from them at the 1st whistle.

That is what I whispered.

Truth or Fact

Football is won and lost in 90 minutes. It is all that matter. I am glad The Stars realized that and kept their heads up beyond the allowed period of the game. Unlike in Windhoek a fortnight ago when they lost two points with the last kick of the match, Denis The Menace delivered to me another bit of it that I always say (and also said) - that many a times you hit a hard shot to the keeper and he opts to punch it back or just parry it - so someone gotta be there to just race with it and nod or knock the parry. This was a special one because an earlier techdoc diagramatically illustrated it as such using real people and real time - it was also Wanga in the doc flanking and creating space for the 'speed masters'.

We are on to Rufaro 'The Theatre of Dreams' where I foresee the warriors reliving their Nyayo dream only that this time it will be in color. A key warriorlet scribe from Harare just confirmed to me that Comrade Bob had consoled Gilly, Benja, Esra, Nguvu and brothers limited that 'they can win in Nairobi but not in Harare'.

You See?

Surprises surprises. FIFA is bent on insisting that Kenya 'surprised' Guinea but the real surprise is who is gonna be the lead actor on the floor of the Theatre of Dreams come Sunday. Kim had assured me that I will get a ticket to and from J'burg and exclusive admission to all the Stadia and a space on the Kenyan bench. So we are not hiding the fact that the Stars are rallied enough to beat anyone within and without Africa.

So we are going going to win away - and win all of them away. As for home matches just ask Chui and you will know why he has those white spots.

If it was to end today the Warriors would be last in all categories with NO goal and a point gifted to them by the hapless Guinea. I remember Titi Camara in 1997 walking out of a match at Kasarani 5 minutes to time because the Liverpool superstar that he was could not just take it to all of a sudden 'walk alone'.

Nani kali kati ya Oliech na Mwaruwaru na Oboya?

Am off to Rufaro. Meet you at the terraces.