Defeated by Algeria, Egypt could not make it to the World Cup. Alaa Abdel-Ghani reports on the match and the trouble thereafter Algeria is going to the World Cup after beating Egypt 1-0 on the field, and beating up what is said to be many of Egypt's supporters outside the stadium. Centre-back Antar Yahia settled the contest that had stoked a thousand flames with a stunning first-half volley in the 40th minute in a tense play-off in Sudan. But more action was on the way after Wednesday night's game when Algerian fans reportedly ran riot in the streets of Omdurman and the Sudanese capital Khartoum, injuring a number of Egypt's delegation members and fans. The first of thousands of Egyptian supporters virtually airlifted to Sudan on charter flights arrived in Cairo in the early hours of Thursday relating horror stories of Algerian hooligans on the warpath. Sudan pledged to tighten security for the game played in Al-Merreikh Stadium but apparently had a hard time containing Algerian fans who stoned Egyptian buses and terrorized many Egyptians who sought refuge in Sudanese homes, hotels and restaurants before being able to make it to the airport. "They did that after they won. What would have happened if they had lost? Thank God we did not win," Egyptian journalist Wa'el El-Ibrashi, a member of the delegation which flew to Sudan for the crucial encounter, told the TV show Nile Sports upon his arrival in Cairo. Shortly after the match, distraught mobile phone calls were being made on air to Egyptian TV talk show hosts from Egyptians in Sudan saying they were cornered by marauding Algerian youths. In response, Egypt's Information Minister Anas El-Fiqi told one Egyptian TV sports show that "President Hosni Mubarak had contacted the Sudanese government to protect the Egyptian people." President Mubarak's two sons, Gamal and Alaa, were among those present in the stands to cheer for the Pharaohs as they sought to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1990. Also in the stadium were a number of Egyptian actors and actresses. All have reportedly returned safely to Cairo, including the players. Egypt were favourites to win this game, but the Algerians were more fired-up and played to their strengths to get the result they so badly craved. Egypt was not helped by either a string of excessively hard tackling by the Algerians nor by Seychelles referee Eddy Maillet who seemed to have left his red card at home. The 11-man starting lineup and substitutions by Egypt coach Hassan Shehata are also being questioned and are sure to be dissected by the Egyptian media for weeks to come. In Egypt, the streets were eerily silent after the game, in marked contrast to the ecstatic scenes of joy which erupted after Saturday's match in Cairo and striker Emad Miteb's lastñminute heart-stopper which forced the deciding game. Egypt and Algeria were forced to go to the one-off play-off after finishing level in Group C. The two sides needed the play-off after Egypt's 2-0 win over Algeria on Saturday left the pair inseparable at the top of their group - with the same points, the same goal difference, the same number of goals scored and the same head-to-head record. The game that is supposed to unite sparked an ugly North African media campaign that might have lingering affects on the countries' two peoples. An Internet, newspaper and TV war of sorts had been had been raging for weeks in the lead-up to the clashes. For the people of both countries the matches had become a question of national pride. Algeria, whose last World Cup appearance was in 1986, becomes the sixth and final African team at the finals, joining fellow qualifiers Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria and hosts South Africa. Algeria will also be the lone Arab country in the 2010 World Cup in Africa, the first time the event will be staged on the continent.
