The first matches

Although the ground, like many matches so far, was less than half full, the noise level was intense.

Both sets of supporters brought their own bands so the music and chanting goes on right through the match including at half time.

From the outset it was clear that Ivory Coast were going to be very strong with Drogba up front.

He opened the scoring after nine minutes with a typically neat shot from just inside the box.

Though Mali put in a lot of effort it was never going to be their day.

Two further late goals put the game beyond any doubt.

Our hotel in Accra is a stone's throw away from the stadium so after a quick freshen up it was back out on the streets to find some action.

We had heard about some ex pat's bar in the middle of Accra so we made a beeline for it.

It was nice, safe and with very upmarket customers in blazers and ties.

We had a beer and moved on to some more down-to-earth bars, ending up sitting outside 'Eddies Joint' at mid night drinking 50p large beers and one or two chasers.

We got chatting to a small group of local people about football and life in general.

Rolled in about 2am after a $5 taxi ride back to hotel.

Egypt 1 - Zambia 1 Kumasi Got up, with a well deserved hangover Plan of the day was to get a bus from Accra to Kumasi (around 100 miles) however all the morning buses were full so decided to fly up on the domestic route.

Great service and only 25 minutes in the air rather than four hours on a bus!

After checking in went off to the ground and again picked up tickets very easily.

Kumasi is a vast sprawling city with 1 million people.

It is situated in the interior so there is no sea breeze to cool things down.

People seem to be working very hard at all types of manual labour on the streets and there are thousands of shops all with people milling around.

To the naked eye it looks like chaos, however things do work very well in Ghana.

The traffic is very bad all around the centre and you really need to keep a close eye on it as well as the open drains.

To any one who has never been out of Europe, seeing these open drains along all the roads would be a shock.

Most of them have a couple of inches of stagnant fluid in the bottom and if you're not careful it would be very easy to fall into one.

Over a couple of Star beers we get talking to a well respected business man.

He tells me that there is a massive poverty problem in Kumasi.

Things are starting to fall into place.

Walking to the ground we go past some unlit, unmade lanes.

Peering into the gloom you can make out that it is a massive residential area, but not as you know it. No electricity, running water or proper sewage.

Its no wonder the grounds are empty.

Many people are earning $2 a day working hard on the roads.

It was a class match.

The great technical ability of Egypt versus the power and strength of the Zambians.

As you would imagine these guys can run all day and with pace.

To their credit they battled all the way through and finally equalised in the last minute.

Sadly, they go out.

Egypt are going to take some beating later in the competition.

Another late night out finishing up with a fish and rice supper, a few Star lagers and a Jack Daniels.

Plus Man United versus Portsmouth live on the telly.

Just like being out in Brighton.