AFRICAN NATIONS CUP: Goodness knows how the locals would have reacted if Mali had beaten Liberia. Even a 1-1 draw had thousands lining the road from the stadium into the centre of Bamako, blowing whistles and dancing to the beat of bands which were perched on the backs of lorries in the heavy traffic. The country is in party mode.
The hosts' late equaliser on Saturday ensured the tournament did not fall flat on its first night, even if the game failed to match the excitement of the fans or the opening ceremony.
In another poor game, Cameroon beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in Sikasso yesterday. The Indomitable Lions, one of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup opponents and due to play a friendly against England in Japan in late May, did not impress. They created little and looked vulnerable in defence. The Newcastle striker Lomana Lua-Lua ruined a lively performance for Congo by wasting two chances.
Cameroon were pinned back for long periods by a team of little pedigree who will not be in the Far East this summer. The Olympic champions lacked ideas and their final pass was invariably poor, though Ireland will have seen the danger of giving room to Patrick Mboma.
The Parma forward scored with a fantastic 30-yard shot in the 40th minute, the only notable effort a physically imposing Cameroon mustered on target. The fare was at least enlivened by the constant drumming of the supporters.
Not that the occasion matched the opening match involving Mali. Here there were several hundred empty seats in a ground which holds around 15,000. In Bamako on Saturday, the 50,000-seat stadium was virtually full three hours before kick-off and the opening ceremony was a blaze of colour, featuring more than 1,000 dancers.
A spectacle that included a pantomime elephant had started with scores of scooters riding round the running track. Scooters are everywhere in Bamako, often off the road, without a crash helmet in sight.
About 80 per cent of the population is Muslim and many fans knelt to pray before kick-off on the stadium concourse, several on Mali flags. To their disappointment a home win rarely looked likely, particularly after George Weah had headed Liberia in front from a corner just before half-time.
It says much for the esteem in which Weah is held across Africa that he was applauded by sections of the home crowd before the start. At 35, the former world footballer of the year is not the player he was. His legs are going but his importance to Liberia is massive. He is coach, captain, on-field motivator and helps to bankroll the side.
In Zizi Roberts, a centre-forward playing at centre-back, Liberia had the outstanding performer of a low-quality match which produced musical but little vocal support from the home fans until midfielder Seydou Keita equalised with a low shot in the 86th minute.
Vitesse Arnhem's neat midfielder Mahamadou Diarra had his moments for Mali but both sides looked well below World Cup standard on a bumpy pitch which will test Nigeria and Algeria this afternoon.
Mali's president Alpha Omar Konare at least suffered no embarrassing bobbles when he officially kicked off the tournament to cheers. This country's achievement in hosting the competition should not be overlooked. "An indisputable success," said Issa Hayatou, president of the African Confederation of Football.
Not everyone here sees it that way, with teachers and opposition politicians particularly outspoken. They believe the country can ill afford it and that the money would be better spent elsewhere.
At around $50 million, the competition is twice over budget and the final touches were being painted on one Nations Cup board a few hours before the opener, where the sign on the referee's dressing room was hastily written on a sheet of folded A4 paper.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Saturday that the 2010 World Cup will come to Africa - "That's not a question" - and predicted a bright showing this summer. "You can already see surprises creeping up," he said, "and I'm sure among them will be positive results achieved by African teams."
From 2006, the Nations Cup will act as the qualifying tournament for the World Cup, with the semi-finalists guaranteed passage and the losing quarter-finalists playing off for the remaining place or places. This will cut down the number of disruptive call-ups for African players, and FIFA has not ruled out similar arrangements elsewhere outside Europe.
