Algerian National Team News

[Al-khiyal]

Angry football fans clash with police in Cairo

Cairo, November 20, 2009 -- Thousands of people gathered in the streets around the Algerian embassy in Cairo just after midnight Friday, as football fans clashed with police and destroyed property. Several main arteries of the exclusive island neighbourhood of Zamalek, where the embassy is located, had been taken over by the crowds, and shop windows were smashed by fans throwing stones and fireworks. The protesters, many shouting obscenities directed at Algeria, clashed at intersections with riot police who pushed them back. The crowds were gathering after altercations in the previous weeks between Algerian and Egyptian fans over a World Cup qualifier and final, played 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.

[Al-khiyal]

Angry football fans riot in Cairo

Cairo, November 20, 2009 -- Roughly a thousand people rioted in the streets around the Algerian Embassy in Cairo in the early hours of Friday to vent their anger at attacks against Egyptian fans in Sudan the previous night. Angry crowds converged on the embassy, chanting anti-Algerian obscenities, beating drums and burning the Algerian flag, before riot police chased them away from the building with batons. Young men threw stones and fireworks at the police, who threw the stones back. At one point, fans attacked a police truck, smashing its windows and attempting to turn it over and set it ablaze. 'Where are the newspapers? Where is the television?' they chanted. Several main arteries of the exclusive island neighbourhood of Zamalek, where the embassy is located, were taken over by the crowds.

'This is bad. This is Egyptians beating Egyptians,' Hussein Abdel-Fatah, 23, told the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 'Aren't the police Egyptians too?' But in some cases, police could be seen walking alongside protesters, and late in the night officers could be seen talking with a group of youths, apparently trying to convince them to go home. At other points, fans yelled at other fans for throwing rocks at the police, saying the police were also Egyptians.

'The Egyptian people are very angry at what the Algerians did,' one protester, who gave his name only as Ahmed, said. 'We stood by them in their war of independence,' he said. 'We stood by them through the days of terrorism. What other Arab country stood next to Algeria through all this?' The crowds gathered after altercations in the previous weeks between Algerian and Egyptian fans over a World Cup qualifier and playoff, played 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. Many said they had come out because they had heard 'from everywhere,' including the websites Facebook and YouTube, that Egyptian fans had been killed in Sudan. There were no confirmed deaths from football-related violence in Sudan on Wednesday night.

An Egyptian witness in Khartoum on Wednesday night told Deutsche Presse-Agentur by phone that the rumours circulating in Egypt were 'wildly exaggerated,' but that Algerian fans had smashed the windows of six buses full of Egyptians on their way to the airport. 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 the 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.

'This is not civilised,' said Amr Yusef, a civil servant who drives a taxi by night, and who nevertheless had no kind words to say about Algerians or their mothers. 'Who benefits from all this?' he asked. 'The Israelis. They're sitting and laughing while the Arabs fight amongst themselves. And over what? A football match.'

[Al-khiyal]

Classement FIFA :
L’Algérie à la 28eme place mondiale

Vendredi 20 Novembre 2009 -- L’Algérie a grappillé une place supplémentaire pour figurer à la 28eme position du dernier classement mondial de la FIFA, publié, vendredi 20 novembre, sur le site Internet de l'instance internationale de football. Au niveau africain, les Verts sont classée quatrième, derrière le Cameroun, la Côte d’Ivoire et le Nigeria mais devant l’Egypte (5e). Ce classement reflète le beau parcours des Verts en qualifications jumelées au Mondial et à la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (CAN), deux compétitions qui auront lieu en 2010. L’Algérie a terminé ces éliminatoires en tête de son groupe, ne perdant qu’un seul match, le 14 novembre au Caire face à l’Egypte dans des conditions jugées scandaleuses par le monde du football après l’agression dont ont fait l’objet au Caire les joueurs algériens et leurs supporters. La FIFA a annoncé, jeudi, avoir ouvert une enquête disciplinaire à l’encontre de la Fédération égyptienne de football.

[Al-khiyal]

Thirty five injured as football fans riot in Cairo

Cairo, November 20, 2009 -- Roughly a thousand people rioted in the streets around the Algerian Embassy in Cairo in the early hours of Friday to vent their anger at attacks against Egyptian fans in Sudan the previous night. Angry crowds converged on the embassy, chanting anti-Algerian obscenities, beating drums and burning the Algerian flag, before riot police chased them away from the building with batons. Young men threw stones and fireworks at the police, who threw the stones back. At one point, fans attacked a police truck, smashing its windows and attempting to turn it over and set it ablaze. 'Where are the newspapers? Where is the television?' they chanted. In a statement posted to its website, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said 11 policemen and 24 citizens were injured in the melee, and that several cars, including police vehicles, were damaged. Several main arteries of the exclusive island neighbourhood of Zamalek, where the embassy is located, were taken over by the crowds.

'This is bad. This is Egyptians beating Egyptians,' Hussein Abdel- Fatah, 23, told the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 'Aren't the police Egyptians too?' But in some cases, police could be seen walking alongside protesters, and late in the night officers could be seen talking with a group of youths, apparently trying to convince them to go home. At other points, fans yelled at other fans for throwing rocks at the police, saying the police were also Egyptians. 'The Egyptian people are very angry at what the Algerians did,' one protester, who gave his name only as Ahmed, said. 'We stood by them in their war of independence,' he said. 'We stood by them through the days of terrorism. What other Arab country stood next to Algeria through all this?'

The crowds gathered after altercations in the previous weeks between Algerian and Egyptian fans over a World Cup qualifier and playoff, played 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. Many said they had come out because they had heard 'from everywhere,' including the websites Facebook and YouTube, that Egyptian fans had been killed in Sudan. There were no confirmed deaths from football-related violence in Sudan on Wednesday night. An Egyptian witness in Khartoum on Wednesday night told Deutsche Presse-Agentur by phone that the rumours circulating in Egypt were 'wildly exaggerated,' but that Algerian fans had smashed the windows of six buses full of Egyptians on their way to the airport. Egyptian Minister of Health Hatem al-Gabali told state television that only 21 Egyptians were injured in Sudan and said they had only suffered 'minor injuries.'

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 the 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.

'This is not civilised,' said Amr Yusef, a civil servant who drives a taxi at night, and who nevertheless had no kind words to say about Algerians or their mothers. 'Who benefits from all this?' he asked. 'The Israelis. They're sitting and laughing while the Arabs fight amongst themselves. And over what? A football match.'

[Al-khiyal]

Crise avec l’Egypte :
Alger ne va pas réagir à « la maladresse diplomatique » du Caire

Vendredi 20 Novembre 2009 -- Malgré l’escalade diplomatique égyptienne, Alger reste calme. «On fait la fête après la victoire de notre équipe nationale. Aujourd’hui, c’est la chose la plus importante pour nous », a déclaré vendredi à TSA une source algérienne autorisée. Pour lui, le rappel par le Caire de son ambassadeur à Alger, est « une maladresse diplomatique ». « Si on réagit, on entamerait un processus de rupture des relations diplomatiques avec l’Egypte », a ajouté la même source. Sauf évènement exceptionnel qui se produirait dans les prochains jours, l’Algérie n’entend donc pas rappeler son ambassadeur en Egypte ni commenter officiellement les provocations du Caire. En Algérie, on ne comprend d’ailleurs pas l’attitude égyptienne. Ce sont les Egyptiens qui ont agressé, le 12 novembre, l’équipe nationale au Caire. Et aujourd’hui, ils se présentent comme des victimes. Pour Alger, les tensions devaient rester au niveau des médias des deux pays et au niveau de la FIFA, l’instance qui dirige le football international. Cette dernière a d’ailleurs ouvert une procédure disciplinaire contre la fédération égyptienne. « Les tensions ne concernent pas des dossiers politiques, diplomatiques ou économiques. Il est dommage de se comporter de la sorte pour un match de football », a précisé notre source. La semaine dernière, après l’agression des Verts au Caire, Alger s’était contenté de convoquer l’ambassadeur égyptien en Algérie pour demander une meilleure protection de la délégation algérienne et des supporteurs. À aucun moment, un haut responsable de l’Etat ne s’était publiquement exprimé sur le sujet, malgré la forte pression populaire dans la rue qui exigeait des représailles contre l’Egypte. Contrairement aux responsables de l’Etat égyptien qui, dès le soir de la défaite de leur équipe à Khartoum, ont multiplié les déclarations hostiles à l’Algérie et aux Algériens.

[Al-khiyal]

L’ambassade d’Algérie au Caire attaquée par des manifestants

Vendredi 20 Novembre 2009 -- L’escalade contre l’Algérie continue en Egypte. Vendredi, des manifestants égyptiens ont attaqué l’ambassade d’Algérie au Caire, en lançant des pierres et des bombes incendiaires contre les éléments des forces de sécurité qui protégeaient l’immeuble de la représentation algérienne. Bilan, selon le ministère égyptien de l’Intérieur : onze policiers blessés, plusieurs voitures brûlées et des vitrines de nombreux magasins situés à proximité de l’ambassade détruites.Les manifestations devant l’ambassade d’Algérie ont commencé jeudi soir après la décision du Caire de rappeler son ambassadeur à Alger. Les manifestants, encouragés par les déclarations incendiaires des responsables politiques égyptiens, scandaient des slogans hostiles à l’Algérie, considéré comme « un pays ennemi » et brûlé des drapeaux algériens. Vendredi, certains ont exhibé des pancartes exigeant l’expulsion de l’ambassadeur d’Algérie au Caire et la rupture des relations diplomatiques entre les deux pays. Officiellement, le Caire entend protester contre les agressions commises à l’encontre de supporters égyptiens au…Soudan. Le gouvernement soudanais, qui a fait état de seulement quatre blessés après le match, s’est dit étonné par ces accusations égyptiennes. Il a convoqué l’ambassadeur d’Egypte à Khartoum pour lui transmettre des protestations officielles. Pour sa part, le ministre égyptien de la Santé Hatem el-Gabali fait état de 21 victimes, toutes «légèrement blessées». Des médias égyptiens ont fait état d'au moins un mort dans ces accrochages. Des déclarations démenties par la diplomatie égyptienne. Dans ce contexte, il est difficile de comprendre les motivations de l’escalade diplomatique égyptienne. À moins qu’elle ne soit motivée par des considérations de politique intérieure de ce pays.

[Al-khiyal]

Le Soudan agacé par les déclarations égyptiennes

Vendredi 20 Novembre 2009 -- L’Algérie s’est qualifiée au Mondial 2010 en battant l’Egypte, mercredi à Khartoum, grâce à un but d’anthologie inscrit par Antar Yahia à la 40mn. Une défaite amère pour l’Egypte qui tente vainement de la justifier par « le climat d’insécurité qui a régné dans la capitale soudanaise avant et après le match ». Le Caire a accusé jeudi les supporters algériens d’avoir tabassé et terrorisé ses supporters. Il a fait état de 21 blessés légers parmi ses supporters « choqués et terrorisés par la forte présence d’Algériens armés d’armes blanches dans les rues de Kharatoum », selon les médias égyptiens. Des accusations rejetées par le Soudan qui les a démenties par la voix d’un haut responsable de la police. Ce dernier a minimisé les affrontements entre les supporters des deux camps et reconnu que les Algériens avaient acheté des couteaux et des épées à Khartoum. « Nous étions au courant de ces achats, mais les Algériens voulaient les prendre comme souvenirs de notre pays », a-t-il ironisé. En réalité, le Soudan, qui a réussi l’organisation de cette rencontre, n’a pas apprécié les mensonges égyptiens. Il a convoqué l’ambassadeur d’Egypte à Khartoum et lui a exprimé son «mécontentement» après la campagne de presse égyptienne faisant état de « fausses informations » sur l'agression de supporters égyptiens. « Le ministère des Affaires étrangères a convoqué l'ambassadeur d'Egypte pour l'informer du rejet par le Soudan des informations diffusées par des médias égyptiens concernant les événements d'après match », a annoncé Khartoum dans un communiqué. « Plutôt que de souligner tout ce que le Soudan a fait pour ce match, l'accueil, l'hébergement de près de 25.000 personnes et la sécurité, les médias égyptiens ont diffusé de fausses informations », a expliqué le porte-parole du ministère soudanais des Affaires étrangères, Mouawiya Osmane Khalid.