27/01/2010 / ALGERIA - EGYPT

Just another manic football game

Posted on Flickr by dz_online

Only two months after their explosive clash for a place at the World Cup, Egypt and Algeria face off once more in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. Defeat in Khartoum went down as a national tragedy for the Pharaohs, who will be keen to restate their supremacy in a tournament they have won a record six times. But the Desert Foxes have so far relished their role as outsiders and will be looking to upset their bitter rivals once more. Our Observers plead for the spirit of sport to prevail.

Our Observers Abdelkrim Mekfouldji and Salah Adel Anwar speak ahead of the crunch game between Algeria and Egypt.

Contributors

Salah El-Deen Adel

mekfouldji

Hicham Ezzat

"Each time Egypt face Algeria away from home, the Desert Foxes win"

Abdelkrim Mekfouldji is one of our Algerian Observers for the Africa Cup of Nations.

As the saying goes, each time Egypt face Algeria away from home, the Desert Foxes win the day. Algeria were a lot more impressive in their quarter-final against Ivory Coast than the Pharaohs were against Cameroon. The people here can already picture their team in the final; which is why they have flocked en masse to Angola. Add to that the Egyptians’ inferiority complex after the game in Khartoum, and all is in place for the Desert Foxes to teach the Pharaohs another lesson.

  I don’t think there will be any trouble because the people are a lot more relaxed about this game and the stakes are lower. I hope the match will give both countries a chance to come together and build closer ties. After all, it’s only football. May the better team win!"

mekfouldji

"I hope this semi-final will give us a chance to bury the hatchet"

Hicham Ezzat lives in Cairo and supports the Pharaohs of Egypt.

I think Egypt have a great chance of reaching the final and clinching a seventh title. But, we’ll have to perform a lot better than in the last game against Cameroon, particularly in midfield. Algeria are in tremendous shape, as their superb match against Ivory Coast goes to show.

I hope this semi-final will give us a chance to bury the hatchet. The media on both sides have sought to calm tempers, ditching the warmongering employed in the build-up to the World Cup qualifier. I hope the fans and the press will be able to prove before African countries and the outside world that we are brothers and that we are capable of putting on a great show."

Hicham Ezzat

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Comments

North african countries are the pet peeve of egypt

Submitted by Mohamed lecalme (not verified) on Wed, 27/01/2010 - 23:02.

I hope that this semi final will reach the level we are expecting as arab spectators, and also will show to the world the real face of the african and arab football. this is a great opportunity for the two teams to show the best of their players in both technical level and fair play.
I think that egyptian players are more under pression than their counterpart. this will be in favor of desert foxes.
Also, north african countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) are the pet peeve of egypt. they always defeat egypt in great meeting like this one.

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