A pint of beer on my lap, I’m waiting for my chicken. I am in a Ghanaian restaurant - Bobor King – on the Arena boulevard in the south-eastern suburb of Amsterdam. Ghanaian fans have gathered. It is Thursday evening and we are watching the Africa Cup semi-finals between Ghana and Nigeria.

Rivalry

At the final whistle, we dance around the tables. Ghana has won 1-0 and will go into Sunday's final. The Diaspora is bursting with joy. “The rivalry is huge,” says Daniel, a fervent Ghanaian supporter.

“You can compare this with the Netherlands and Germany. We're both from West Africa. We both want to be the best,” he adds.

There are about 20,000 Ghanaians living in the Netherlands, including 10,000 in Amsterdam. They represent the largest African community in the country. But in West Africa it is the oppposite: Nigeria is Ghana’s big brother.

The Ghanaian national football team is still very young and inexperienced. “Everyone thought that Ghana would lose,” comments a very proud Daniel.
 
Prayers helped
On the menu today: Tilapia, chicken wings, tuba yam (Ghanaian potatoes), rice and fried bananas. The small and sturdy chef and owner of the restaurant, Original Bobor, has just joined us. Will Ghana become the new African promise?

"I have prayed for Ghana and it helped." he says. "But I do not think they will win the Cup."

Bobor shakes his head. Ghana is a sympathetic outsider. Even after their victory over Nigeria, I do not see any sign of arrogance in them. If they lose the final, it will still be good.
 

When asked how they will perform at the World Cup in South Africa, he says: “If we cannot make it, then I am behind the Netherlands.” Bobor can surely do with an extra pinch of chauvinism.
 

In the meantime, the date, time and place are set. Sunday 31 at 1600 GMT in Luanda, the young and inexperienced little Ghana will take on the African giants and defending champions Egypt. Ghana, the new African champions? Now, that would be a scoop…