Bloemfontein - Mangaung's final World Cup match ended on a high note on Sunday night with local and international visitors alike praising the host city for its hospitality and warmth.
Tickets for one of the most anticipated matches was sold out minutes before the first whistle sounded and with the city painted in the colours of Germany and England, everyone was in high spirits, with the sounds of the vuvuzela echoing in every direction.
With many people unable to get tickets for the match, many resorted to watching the match in the city's Public Viewing Areas (PVAs) and FIFA Fan Fest.
The city had the party of all parties, with locals celebrating with the German fans and locals and the English fans consoling each other when their team lost 4-1 to Germany. Although the celebrations were dampened by the loss, the English Roses partied till the early hours of the morning in the City of Roses.
English fan Sue Thomas, said the Germans put on quite a fight and deserved to come out victorious. She said even though she is an English supporter, their loss does not take away the fact that it was a gripping match that was well played.
Most German supporters could not hide their excitement as songs of victory erupted in and outside the stadiums, even at PVAs. The streets buzzed throughout the night.
A group of German supporters said they were pleased with their team's performance and the outcome was reflective of the hard work they showed on the field
