It’s perfectly natural that the home team will do a few things to enhance that home advantage before a big game, but it often raises the question of how far is too far?
Eyebrows are raised if a team narrows the pitch or if they over-water it to make it impossible to play on, while you’ll occasionally hear stories of heating not working and there being no hot water in the winter months too.
Clearly in Africa they know how to up the ante, as the recent game between Cameroon and Zimbabwe was overshadowed by claims of witchcraft from the Zimbabwe manager against their hosts:
CHAN 2021 opener in Yaoundé overshadowed by pre-match accusations of witchcraft from the hosts by Zimbabwe coach Logarusic after a bat carcass is found on the pitch
Complete coincidence or foul play?#CHAN2021 #CMRZIM pic.twitter.com/TjaJA1YFLV
— Ed Dove (@EddyDove) January 16, 2021
In a way it’s refreshing that the natural reaction to a dead bat is “ah Witchraft!” rather than “ah Covid!”, but Cameroon did go on to win the game 1-0 so it does make you wonder….