So who before this tournament called a quarter final between Ghana and Uruguay? Not me, that’s for sure.

I did however have a hunch Ghana would do away with the United States’ luck, so I went down to Meytex Cafe in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to watch the game together with some people who really know how to party. After the final whistle blew, traffic stopped on Flatbush avenue, as dozens of people flooded the street and let no car pass before honking for the Black Stars. Ghana qualified thanks to goals by Kevin Prince-Boateng and Asamoah Gyan in overtime, and showed form that promises to keep Africa in the streets for a while longer in this World Cup. To quote my friend Embry, who was kind enough to bring me a margarita because I was too in the zone to deal with dehydration, this was one hell of a multisensory experience.

You can find more photos here.

And to those who think I should be deported because I didn’t root for the US…

1) Ghana was the stronger, faster, better team.

2) It takes more than winning to up the interest in soccer in a country as saturated with victories as the United States is.

3) A team competing at this level cannot hope for more after only leading for 3 minutes of the total play time they had at this World Cup.

4) Clint Dempsey dives too much.

5) Just imagine Ghana making it to the semis. I’d say it’s worth more for them this time.

6) Ghana fans cheered for both teams.

7) Again. Ghana was the better team.

Looking forward to their encounter with an extremely impressive Uruguayan squad who withstood pressure from South Korea to clinch the victory after a great touch by Ajax striker Luis Suarez.

And most importantly… Let’s rejoice. After some serious group stage fiasco, we are finally seeing the kind of football the World Cup should be about. 

Game on!