Ghana bid farewell as World Cup legacy under spotlight

The World Cup spotlight on Sunday turned to the event's charitable legacy as the tournament entered a rest period ahead of the semi-finals and South Africa bade farewell to top African team Ghana.

South African President Jacob Zuma and football governing body FIFA boss Sepp Blatter launched the Football for Hope tournament in the impoverished Alexandra township in Johannesburg.

"The aim of Football for Hope is to connect people from around the world, to disseminate hope through the game," said Blatter about the programme which aims for social change through football.

"Football for Hope is a game based on respect and good spirit." Hundreds of youngsters gathered for the kick-off that will see teams of youths from across the world participate on the sidelines of the main showcase until Saturday, a day before the World Cup final.

Zuma praised FIFA for bring the World Cup finals to South Africa, the first in Africa to host the championship, saying none had believed that the country could be a successful host.

"Just a decade ago, nobody believed we could do it, but South Africa has proven everyone wrong by hosting a successful event," said Zuma.

As the tournament paused for two days, a crowd gathered on Soweto's historic Vilakazi Street, once the home of icon Nelson Mandela, to bid farewell to Ghana's Black Stars whose quarter-final loss ended Africa's run on Friday. The squad members each waved from the door of their closed-top bus outside Mandela's former home, now a museum, with the crowd chanting for three-goal striker Asamoah Gyan whose appearance drew the biggest cheers.

Young children ran with vuvuzelas to lead the arriving bus as people held up homemade signs of "Who says Black Stars can't shine", "Long live Africa", "Viva Ghana" and "Kwame Nkrumah's vision" after the Ghanaian independence leader.

"It's so overwhelming. They are unbelievable. In 2014, we are taking that World Cup. They made us proud to be African," said Palesa Mokone, 31, a Soweto local who cried out in jubilation with her friend when the bus stopped.

The bus continued down the street which is also home to Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu and where around 1,000 people gathered to wish them farewell with blaring vuvuzela trumpets and flags.

"I just wanted to see the boys one last time because they made us proud," Mduduzi Ngcobo, 18, told AFP while waiting for the team parade. "They played fantastic and we're proud of them." Ghana rallied support from across the continent after five fellow African teams crashed out of the tournament and their performance drew praise from South Africa's first democratic leader Mandela who met the team on Saturday.

"For Ghana to have reached this place, it has made us very proud as South Africans and as Africans," said Joseph Radebe, 46, on Sunday.

The team lost a semi-final place in an agonising penalty shoot out after Gyan missed a penalty kick in the dying minutes of extra time - awarded after Uruguay striker Luis Suarez's blocked an on-target goal shot with his hand.

"They represented the continent well and although they did not qualify for the semi-finals they can return home with their heads held high," said Mandela's office after the meeting.

Mandela's attendance at the final next Sunday is still unknown.

"Former president Nelson Mandela has got an open invitation to any match of the World Cup. If he comes we'll be very happy, if he doesn't we will understand," organising committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo told reporters.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who turns 92 this month and appears increasingly frail, was instrumental in bringing the World Cup to South Africa but has yet to appear at the tournament.

He cancelled a planned appearance at the opening match on June 11 after his great-granddaughter was killed in a car accident the day before. JOHANNESBURG, Sunday, AFP