We heard there was a hot match at Chigoma. Having no tv and starving for some action we packed the guests onto a speedboat and headed for Chigoma. On arrival we were met by a dozen or so kids cooling themselves on the shores. They didn't seem very interested in us nor were they impressed by the speedboat. A half hour walk later we made it to the "stadium" which was a large fig tree and a dusty playing field with 2 goalposts made from sticks. We parked ourselves under the tree with our coolerbox and soon enough; we had attracted a nice crowd around us, the game though did not look like it was going to start soon. There was only one team suited and ready for battle, their opponents it turned out; had decided not to show up for fear of getting defeated. This caused a huge argument because it appears, winning by default was not an option the "Great Warriors" were prepared to accept. As they went back and forth, deciding the future of football leagues on Lake Niassa Coastlines, we passed balls to the kids and to each other, drank some coke and even took line up pictures of the team that actually showed up!
The sun got hotter, baking the red earth beneath our dusty feet, lucky enough we had box tickets under the fig tree complete with a wooden bench to sit on! It was finally decided that 3 goals will be scored by the "Great Warriors" to symbolize their unequivocal victory, to me this was nothing short of comic relief as the defender bravely protected the ball from invisible assailants.
False goal
With a potential disaster avoided and a clear winner revealed; a second team materialized to play "friendly" against the "Great Warriors." After all people had come a long way for a game and internal politics aside; we got a game!
Spectator mixing business with pleasure
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