What a Game!

2pm hot saturday afternoon. Maybe hot is an understatement. Scorching-humind-heat-that-burns-your-skin-and-gives-you-headache-thirst-unquenched-afternoon. Lawson Tama is packed and crowded. 20 000 spectators the radio cried! There were Waitekere fans on the other side of the field droned in white and red, in the midst who can see the yellow colours of KOSSA , while the rest of the crowd, males either have theirs shirts off and tying the heads and umbrellas of all sorts and other improvised materials to make shade that can only be invented in Honiara stood out.

I arrived late, the games had already started and I was trying to buy a ticket when the first goal from KOSSA’s Joe Luwi scored. Everybody roared! All of us trying to get a ticket went crazy shouting outside and the ticket ladies all disappeared to go celebrate and we were shouting for them to come back and hurry up!!!! The excitement was contagious and it was a long time that Honiara ever felt like that. I was talking to strangers and smiling like a fool. KOSSA scored!.

Ok with ticket in hand , I with the rest of the late arrivals ran to the enterance and struggled and pushed to go inside. KOSSA has socred against the giants now, anything can happen. There was no where to seat. I struggled to find some place where the goals are visible and craning my head over heads and hats to see tha action when another goal from Joe Luwi, hailed from Temotu, shook the net again. GO KOSSA GO! The crowd went wild. 2 goals to nil!

The game dwindled towards the second half with the Waitekere boys who came in from the cold winter Southern land just a day ago and into the hot boiling pot of Honiara were obviously smothered by the sun, heat and rowdy crowd. Meanwhile the KOSSA boys, especially James Naka were giving the home crowd the type of quality soccer that is definetly worth the money and the burning heat!

The second half is even more seat gripping. Although there are no seats for half of the crowd, I for one stood through out the whole game! The Waitekere presumably went to cool off and so took their time to score an impressive goal minutes into the second half. 2 goals to 1. The crowd is starting to get nervous. The two International soccer stars Benjamin Totori and Commins Menapi of Solomon Islands were well looked after by the KOSSA captain . The pair are clearly dangerous as they have briefly shown when they were open for goals. I have never seen any Solomon Islander played as fast and dangerous as Totori, definetly someone for the KOSSA to be jumpy around. And boy was everyone jumpy. I think after the 2 unexpected goal from Luwi no ones wants a draw or loss. KOSSA must win!

Then just five minutes before the final whistle the spectacular and clearly hero of the game James Naka made a classic tip of the ball over the tall Waitekere defender and score a goal sealing the game and made the highlighted of the game. The crowd roared in excitement as well as relief. Naka! Naka! Naka! The crowd where I was standing shouted and chanted among, sweat, body odour, kwaso stench and broken umbrellas. All Happy and joyous, its infectious! 

Sigh! it was one of the best games I have ever watched for a long time in Honaira. KOSSA has surprisingly improved a notch, and the combination of Luwi, Takayama ( with injured hand), Davani and Naka is the essence of their game.

Not to spoil the party but Waitekere coach said the the celebration for KOSSA is only shortlived, the New Zealand club champion will only have to score 2 goals to Nil to KOSSA for them to make thier way to FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. I quote “We’ll go back home and win 2-0 and end of story” said coach Chris Milicich, referring to the final round in the second leg to be played in NZ soon. Boo hoo !

Meanwhile the party has begun. KOSSA fans stayed up and kept the night clubs busy until the break of dawn! Celebration! Never mind the final round the fact is KOSSA gave an unexpected excellent game against the Waitekere and that is more then enough to make the town happy and partying together for now.

As you can see from the excerpt photo from todays Solomon Star. A hero has finally arrived in town!GO KOSSA GO!