African Cup of Nations/Ghana 2 Guinea 1:Nobody knows how to party quite like the Africans and celebrations went on long into the night in Accra after Sulley Muntari's blistering last-minute strike clinched victory for Ghana in the opening game of the African Cup of Nations.
The fact every national newspaper has spent the week describing it as "Ghana's destiny" to triumph has hardly dampened the already-immense expectations, and the scenes outside the stadium before kick-off suggested most fans regarded success as a formality.
Brass bands and drummers led the dancing, supporters with painted faces posed for photos and children with fake replica shirts frantically chased plastic balls.
After weeks of moaning by European club managers at the timing of the tournament, and the widespread, sometimes justified, criticism of the organisation in Ghana, these joyous moments were a reminder of why soccer is so important to Africa.
When the action got underway following a beautifully choreographed opening ceremony, it looked as though the optimism had not been misplaced. Nottingham Forest striker Junior Agogo, Chelsea's Essien and Muntari of Portsmouth all hit the post in a one-sided first half on a playing surface not fitting of such a high-profile event.
Then, ten minutes after the break, the 35,000 fans burst into celebration as Gyan Asamoah converted a penalty after Agogo had been felled.
Guinea were subdued, but the team ranked third in Africa by Fifa hit back in the 65th minute when Omar Kalabane's header hit the bar and bounced in off goalkeeper Richard Kingson. They had seemingly achieved the impossible by calming Ghana's boisterous support and looked set for a valuable point until Muntari's intervention.
The midfielder picked up a pass from Essien and shot beautifully to the top corner from 25 yards.
Cue pandemonium.
Ghana are organising the Nations Cup for a fourth time, having triumphed on home soil in 1963 and 1978 before losing as co-hosts in the quarter-finals in 2000.
Yet, none of those experiences will have prepared them for this latest edition, which is attracting several thousand journalists and anything up to one million supporters from neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, Benin and Nigeria.
Judging by the chaotic scenes at the "Kofi Annan" media centre in Accra on Saturday, the event will be far less ordered than in Egypt two years ago. The hordes of journalists attempting to obtain accreditation passes had to push and shove their way to help desks, police waded in unhelpfully, and several people had wallets snatched in the melee.
The teams have been disrupted too. Guinea were without their luggage until yesterday, Egypt got stranded for two days in Accra after their domestic flight to Kumasi was cancelled, then the following day took off earlier than scheduled without them.
Later today Nigeria and Ivory Coast clash in the tournament's first heavyweight contest in Sekondi. The stadium's capacity is just over 20,000, the town has only a handful of hotels, and thousands of supporters have been pouring in from Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire all week.
It could get messy, yet as long as soccer continues to provide the principal talking points not many will be complaining.
GHANA: Kingson, Sarpei, Pantsil, Mensah, Addo, Essien, Kingston, Muntari, Gyan (Baffour 84), Agogo, Quincy (Ayew 75). Subs not used: Adjei, Afful, Alhassan, Annan, Asamoah, Asare, Barusso, Dauda, Draman, Kumordzi. Booked: Addo, Muntari, Kingston.
GUINEA: Kemoko Camara, Bobo Balde, Alseni Camara, Kalabane, Jabi, Feindouno, Sacko, Sylla (Bah 90), Bangoura, Correa (Soumah 60), Youla (Karamoko Cisse 60). Subs not used: Habib Jean Balde, Ibrahima Sory Camara, Mohammed Cisse, Diallo, Diarso, Johnson, Mansare, Yattara, Zayatte.Booked: Feindouno.
Referee: Eddy Maillet (Seychelles).
