First Match at the Cape Town Stadium
Santos and Ajax take the field at the Cape Town stadium.
The Soccer World Cup stadium in Cape Town hosted its first football match on Saturday, with organisers saying everything appeared to work fine without any major glitches.
An estimated 20 000 fans used a park-and-ride system to take buses from the city centre to the new 68 000 seater arena to watch Ajax Cape Town take on Santos, the city’s top two teams.
Fans arrive to watch soccer at the stadium in Cape Town.
The stadium will host several matches, including a semifinal, when the first World Cup to be played on the African continent begins in June.
“This event is important so we can pick up any flaws now,” said Carlo Scott, who will help coordinate up to 1 700 volunteers during the World Cup games.
“I’ve played at many big venues around the country, and I know the players will enjoy the atmosphere and facilities here,” said Scott, who was a striker for both Ajax and Santos during his playing career.
Teams line up before the start of the soccer match.
The game eventually ended goalless at the end of regulation time, with Santos winning 6-5 in a penalty shoot-out.
Don Hayes, of Noordhoek, came with his wife and two young sons.
“The stadium is just awesome. We can really be proud of it,” Hayes said.
Santos fans at the stadium in Cape Town.
Courtesy of The Mail and Guardian
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