Fans look to faith to bring victory

Ritual and superstition has a strong pre-game role for many fans.

Ghana
Fans add plenty of colour to the stadiums [AFP]

At the Resurrection Power and Living Bread Ministries Church in the west of the capital, head pastor Yaw Owusu-Ansah led the congregation in the chant “Total victory! Total Victory! Total victory!” to pray for success against Guinea.

Other fans turned to more ancient beliefs to invoke victory.

One group of singing, dancing fans near the Accra stadium carried a “juju pot” daubed in the national colours and containing a mixture of leaves and liquid.

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“Its presence at the stadium will scare away all devils,” one of the group, Kojo Saaka, said.

International and regional football authorities tend to frown on the use of black magic to try to sway games, but Saaka dismissed suggestions the “juju pot” could cause harm.

“This one rather brings luck and peace,” he said.

The believers would have been satisfied with the result as the Black Stars got their campaign off to the perfect start.

Source: News Agencies