Algerian National Team News

[Al-khiyal]

Algeria dethrone Pharaohs to advance to World Cup

November 19, 2009 -- Antar Yahia satisfied the hopes of millions of Algerians when he scored the only goal in a nail-bitingly tense play-off match against Egypt on Wednesday (November 18th), sending the Fennecs to their first World Cup since 1986. Algerians nervously awaited the final whistle from Seychelles referee Eddy Maillet before erupting into jubilation at the El Merreikh Stadium in Khartoum, watching Algeria team-mates revel in their victory by climbing on goalposts and draping themselves in the Algerian flag. Crowds in the stands waved the green and white flag in ecstasy and shouts of "Go Greens!" reverberated through the stadium, making players forget for the moment that they were on a Sudanese pitch. Egypt fans were considerably quieter, keeping a low profile that marked a complete turnaround from their boisterousness in Cairo.

The Greens clinched their qualification for the World Cup in South Africa in brilliant fashion, in front of a stadium filled to bursting with mostly Algerian fans who flew in for the match. Algeria did not disappoint their supporters, dominating Egypt in a fearless show of determination to avenge their devastating loss in Cairo last week. Cleverly occupying the pitch with a tactical 3-5-2 formation that left only strikers Abdelkader Ghezzal and Rafik Saifi up front, the Fennecs stubbornly hampered Egypt's attempts to dictate the tone of the match.

Egypt battled ferociously throughout the first half, creating clear scoring opportunities in the 20th and 32nd minutes. But Algerian substitute goalkeeper Fawzi Chaouchi, playing for Lounes Gaouaoui after he was benched for too many yellow cards, put in a brilliant performance. Chaouchi made four fine saves and rescued the Greens from damage inflicted by the Pharaohs.

Algeria coach Rabah Saadane's strategy yielded results in the 40th, after central defender Antar Yahia homed in on a standing ball from midfielder Karim Ziani to push the Greens ahead 1-0. Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary didn't stand a chance as the ball whizzed by him and found a corner in the net. The Greens retained possession throughout the second half, roundly denying Egypt the chance to equalise. Algeria linesmen Rafik Halliche, Antar Yahia and Fouad Bougerra preserved the lead by forming an impenetrable wall around the goal that Egypt never managed to crack. Commentators heaped praise on Fawzi, declaring him the hero of the match. "If there's one player to whom Algeria owes its qualification to the World Cup, it's goalkeeper Chaouchi Fawzi," editorialised Tout sur l'Algérie.

Egyptian broadcasters were understandably bitter after being knocked out of World Cup contention by their arch-rivals. One journalist from Egyptian satellite TV channel El Misseriya said Egypt players performed like "fish out of water". "As soon as they're out of the Cairo arena, they don't know which way to turn," he lamented.

Victorious coach Saadane showered acclaim on his players for their triumph over the Pharaohs. "The players, like soldiers, gave their all on the field and were able to right a wrong after Cairo's events," he proclaimed to APS on Wednesday, as he celebrated Algeria's third-ever qualification to World Cup competition.

[Al-khiyal]

Egypt quits North Africa league after Algeria defeat

L’Egypte suspend sa participation à l'Union nord-africaine de football (UNAF)

Jeudi 19 Novembre 2009 -- La Fédération égyptienne de football (EFA) a suspendu, jeudi19 novembre, sa participation à l'Union nord-africaine de football (UNAF) pour protester contre les « violences » dont ont été victimes des Egyptiens au Soudan, après le match de qualification pour le Mondial 2010 remporté mercredi à Khartoum par l'Algérie (1-0). Les Egyptiens accusent les supporters algériens d’avoir agressé et malmené leurs supporters à Khartoum. L'agence publique égyptienne MENA, qui cite un communiqué de l'EFA, indique que celle-ci a également adressé une lettre aux fédérations nord-africaines de football pour les informer des violences. L'Unaf, fondée en 2005, regroupe les fédérations égyptienne, tunisienne, libyenne, algérienne et marocaine. Elle organise des compétitions régionales. Ces gesticulations égyptiennes interviennent après l’annonce, jeudi, par la Fédération internationale de football (FIFA) de l'ouverture d'une procédure disciplinaire contre la Fédération égyptienne. Motif : le caillassage du bus de l’équipe nationale algérienne au Caire avant le match de samedi dernier au Caire. Un incident qui a indigné le monde du football.

[Al-khiyal]

Transports des supporters des Verts :
Les pilotes algériens boudent l’espace aérien égyptien

Jeudi 19 Novembre 2009 -- Entre Alger et le Caire, c’est la crise. Le pont aérien mis en place entre Alger et Khartoum pour transporter les supporters de l’équipe nationale a emprunté les frontières entre le Soudan et la Libye au lieu de transiter par l’espace aérien égyptien, a appris TSA de source bien informée. Cette décision a rallongé considérablement la durée des vols qui ont atteint entre 5h30 et 7 heures, selon la même source. On ignore si cette décision a été prise suite à un refus égyptien d’autoriser les avions algériens de survoler son espace aérien. Une chose est sûre : les Egyptiens n’auraient jamais autorisé le survol de leur territoire pour la totalité des 52 vols effectués en trois jours entre Alger et Khartoum pour transporter plus de 10.000 supporters des Verts. Une présence qui a fortement contribué à remonter le moral de l’équipe nationale face à l’Egypte.

[Al-khiyal]

Sudanese furious over Egyptian accusations following soccer match

KHARTOUM, November 19, 2009 – The Sudanese government and citizens alike reacted angrily to a media campaign from their northern neighbor accusing them of failing to secure Egyptian soccer fans from assaults by Algerians after the World Cup qualifying match in the capital that took place yesterday. Algeria won 1-0 to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa next year, their first appearance at the finals since 1986. The Sudanese foreign ministry today summoned the Egyptian ambassador in Khartoum Afifi Abdel-Wahab to protest the messages conveyed on Egyptian TV channels considered to be “unacceptable” and “abusive” against Sudan. Sudan’s state minister for foreign affairs Ali Karti informed the Egyptian envoy that his government “categorically rejects this approach” adding that Sudan should be appreciated for organizing the event.

The match between Algeria and Egypt was a special situation after both teams equalized in terms of points and goals, requiring a decisive match on neutral ground per FIFA rules. Each team was to pick a venue to host the game. Sudan was the choice of Egyptian football association and officials in Cairo expressed relief after prevailing over Algeria’s choices citing “historical relations” with their southern neighbor. However, following the match Egyptian media appeared critical of Sudanese authorities for not keeping the order and protecting their fans from Algerian attacks.

Many Sudanese all over the world contacted the Sudan Tribune expressing outcry over what they perceived as “offensive” and “arrogant” language used by Egyptian media “against their country [Sudan]”. “They [Egyptians] have showed their true colors. They always looked at us as a lower class. They lost the game and now they are trying to throw the blame on Sudan. We were not the ones that scored the goal” one of them said. The cyber world including discussion boards and social sites such as Facebook was flooded with angry Sudanese bashing Egyptian commentators and talk shows that they say degraded their country's image.

The fallout of the growing row prompted the announcement that the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak instructed his foreign minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit to receive the Sudanese ambassador to Cairo on Friday to thank his government for “efforts made by Sudanese authorities in coordinating and brotherly cooperation with Egyptian agencies to secure the return of our citizens and national team to our homeland”. The Egyptian intelligence chief Omer Suleiman phoned his Sudanese counterpart Mohamed Atta to express gratitude for measures taken by authorities in Khartoum at the match. Yesterday Egyptian officials said that they will send special forces to evacuate their soccer fans, including those who have not been able to make it to the airport.

[Al-khiyal]

Egypt issues FIFA complaint against Algeria, threatens international withdrawal

November 19, 2009 -- The aftermath of Egypt's defeat to Algeria in Sudan in Wednesday night's World Cup play-off grows ever more dramatic as the Egyptian FA have reported their opponents to FIFA. The Pharaohs have even gone to the extent of threatening to withdraw from organised football entirely. A statement on the Federation's official website read, "Egyptian fans, officials and players put their lives at risk before and after the game, under threat from weapons, knives, swords and flares. The Egyptian Federation has stated most seriously in the complaint to FIFA to restore moral discipline to the world of football. The Egyptian Federation will stop playing football for two years in protest of what happened during the attack on Egyptian fans, players and officials in Sudan. We are ever confident and know that FIFA has always sought to preserve the lives of players and fans, and stand firmly against anyone who tries to distort the ethics and principles of world football. A meeting will be held between the Head of the National Council for Sport and the president and vice-president of the Egyptian Federation for the protest-oriented study of FIFA on Saturday." In a separate statement, the FA announced that it has temporarily withdrawn from the Union of North African Federations organisation.

[Al-khiyal]

[Al-khiyal]

"Thousands" besiege Algerian embassy in Cairo

Cairo, November 19, 2009 -- Thousands of people gathered in the streets around the Algerian embassy just after midnight Friday in Cairo, witnesses told the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Witnesses said one of the bridges onto the exclusive island neighbourhood of Zamalek, where the embassy is located, had been completely taken over by the crowds and that several of the island's main thoroughfares were mobbed. Many of the protesters were shouting obscenities at the embassy, while marching. The crowds were gathering after clashes between Algerian and Egyptian fans in the previous weeks around a World Cup qualifier and final in Egypt and Sudan on Saturday and Wednesday nights, respectively. Much smaller crowds gathered near the Algerian embassy after Egyptian media reported that Algerian fans attacked Egyptian fans in Sudan following Algeria's 1-0 victory Wednesday night to reach the World Cup next year in South Africa. Egypt recalled its ambassador from Algiers for consultations on Thursday, citing the attacks. Prior to the game, Egypt's Orascom Telecom saw its offices in Algeria destroyed, and the company was hit with nearly 600 million dollars in tax penalties from the government in Algiers. The first of the match-ups in the last week took place following what the Algerian team alleged was a stoning of its bus in Cairo, leaving several players injured. Egypt won that game, setting up the playoff, which took place in Sudan under tight security.