Two Africans generated enormous support among soccer fans around the continent for the winning team in Wednesday's European Champions League final played in Rome.
Samuel Eto'o, the prolific attacker from Cameroon, and Yaya Touré, the central defender from Cote d'Ivoire, both played for the Barcelona football club's team in its contest against Manchester United.
About an hour before the game began, the Touré family home in Cote d'Ivoire was jam-packed with supporters and cameramen who joined the family to watch the game.
Though Yaya is not the first in the family to contest the European final – his elder brother Kolo Touré played in an Arsenal side that lost to Barcelona in 2006 – he has became the first Ivorien player to be part of a winning team.
Another Ivorien who has played in the finals is Didier Drogba, who was part of the Chelsea side that lost to Manchester United in last year's final.
Though an Ivorien had never played on a winning side, played on the loosing side, Yay's father, Mory Touré showed no signs of nervousness as he welcomed guests to his home on Wednesday.
"I don't feel pressurized," he said, "this is sport and we mustn't concentrate so much on results. It will be good if we win but it will be equally good if the other team wins. We must just play fairly and leave the rest to God, who already knows the outcome."
The Touré family's prayers were answered in the 10th minute when Eto'o dribbled his way through the Manchester defence and made it 1-0 for Barcelona.
There were cries of joy in the Touré home and the jubilation continued until half-time. But there was a still a long way to go and the Touré wives knew it all too well – they joined in prayers to the Almighty that their son's team would win.
When Kolo called from the stadium in Rome, their father could not hold back his emotions. He cried out: "Thanks my son, you carved the path and your brother is going to avenge your loss today."
When the Argentine star Lionel Messi. made the score 2-0, those gathered in Touré residence erupted in ecstacy.
Based on a report in Le Patriote, Abidjan, and translated by Michael Tantoh.
