A day after its devastating shootout loss to Uruguay in the World Cup quarterfinals, Ghana's players received a South African version of red-carpet treatment - visits to the homes of former president Nelson Mandela and his ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. “It's a dream come true,” said midfielder Derek Boateng after the team met Mandela at his mansion in an affluent Johannesburg neighborhood Saturday. “He is a legend, you know, and everybody is talking about him. It is the first time we have met him.” Earlier, the team visited Madikizela-Mandela, another icon of the anti-apartheid movement, at her home in the black township of Soweto. “It was a big privilege for me and the players,” Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson said after that meeting “She advised (us about) our life and our future, and how to be a good guy and how to control things.” Sowetans greeted the players with applause and cheers as they got off their police-escorted bus, which bore a sign reading, “The Hope of Africa.” The team plans to return to Soweto for a more extensive public appearance Sunday, and also visit a shopping mall in Johannesburg, according to organizers of the events. Fans wishing to attend were urged to wear the Ghana colors of green, red and yellow. The governing African National Congress chimed in, expressing discouragement that once again no African team had reached the semifinals yet lauding Ghana's Black Stars. “Well-done Ghana for doing the continent, mother Africa and all of us as Africans proud,” said ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu. “We salute you.” The Black Stars' loss Friday night could scarcely have been more agonizing. With only seconds left in extra time, a goal-bound header was swatted away by Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez on the goal line. Asamoah Gyan had a chance to win the match and secure Ghana's place as the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals, but his ensuing penalty kick hit the crossbar. Uruguay went on to win the shootout 4-2. “I'm OK. I'm all right,” Gyan told reporters outside Madikizela-Mandela's house - looking like he'd shaken off some of the despair that overcame him after the missed penalty. “We just have to put it behind us and have fun,” added defender Rahim Ayew. “It's part of football.” Asked how he felt, midfielder Sulley Muntari replied: “Not really good.” “But Mr. Mandela and his wife - they give us some happiness,” Muntari said. “We will come back.” The Black Stars' coach, Milovan Rajevac, was philosophical. “We are very satisfied with everything we did,” he said. “This is the biggest success in the history of Ghana, but of course we are sad after this match.” In this first World Cup to be held in Africa, Ghana had carried the hopes of the whole continent into the quarterfinal. The other five African teams didn't survive the first round. In Ghana, the two state-owned daily newspapers praised the efforts of Black Stars. “They have also sent a strong signal to the rest of the world how ready Africa is to take on the game's traditional superpowers,” said the Daily Graphic. “The boys played their hearts out,” said the Ghanaian Times. However, Peter Dogbe, a taxi driver in Accra, Ghana, was among many Black Stars fans who felt the referee should have awarded a goal on the Suarez handball. “FIFA should look at its rules again,” he said. “It was total cheating.” At a FIFA-backed education forum in Johannesburg, former Black Star player Anthony Baffoe, now an adviser to FIFA, said watching the Ghana-Uruguay match was excruciating. “Football can be cruel and Friday it was cruel,” he said. “They will have a tremendous welcome in Ghana. Nobody is angry with them.”
