Leading up to the big match, I was overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation. The tickets were completely sold out and the stadium was filled to capacity on the day. Many skeptics felt that it would be a second-string or 'B-team' that would come out to South Africa, but with the likes of Berbatov, Hernandez, Ferdinand, Carrick, Anderson, Valencia and Scholes, the team was anything but mediocre.
On the match day, Cape Town presented us with its notorious winter weather as it poured down in what felt like buckets of rain in Green Point. This prevented us from doing the fan walk along Somerset Road, so instead, we opted to take the ever-efficient MyCiti bus to the stadium.
There were football fans everywhere, both Manchester United and Ajax Cape Town, painting Green Point with a bold red colour. One could hear the excitement and eagerness through the drones of the vuvuzela's and the chants of "Glory Glory Man United" among the crowds. As we made our way in to the stadium, excitement escalated as there was not one seat unattended, and the crowd in the Mother City showed its welcoming hospitality with Mexican Waves throughout the game.
The game was a bit slow-paced with not too much action, and Ajax Cape Town definitely held their own against one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world. Ajax Cape Town opened the scoring in the 89th minute, with a beautiful goal by Alcardo van Graan, which electrified the stadium as it sent the crowd in to an uproar. In true Manchester United fashion, they threw everything but the kitchen sink back at Ajax Cape Town, and were rewarded with an equalising goal by Bebe in the 93rd minute, leaving the final result at 1 - 1.
It was by no means a 'pretty' game in the most part, but the final 5 minutes were sensational. I am eagerly awaiting their next visit to our shores!
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