Tension mounted as team spirit swelled on November 14, 2009 when Egypt hosted Algeria in the World Cup qualifying game in Cairo. American friends were strongly advised against attending the match, and the U.S. embassy warned its citizens to stay off the streets that night. Ever since 1989's World Cup qualifying win by Egypt drove an Algerian player to gouge out the eye of an Egyptian team doctor, the two teams have been at each other's throats.
Even before the game began on the 14th, Egyptian fans attacked Algeria's bus with rocks and bricks as it transported the team from the airport to their hotel. Four players were injured and required stitches. Concerned officials, fans, and players questioned the safety of the team and demanded answers from FIFA but none were given. On the day of the game, Egyptians were in high spirits as they waved flags throughout the city and performed an ongoing symphony with their car horns.
How else would you get a flag to secure to the hood of your car?
A 2-0 win over Algeria sent fans racing to the streets as Egypt moved one step closer to World Cup victory. Car horns blared instantly as the winning goal was made and within moments, firecrackers screamed and popped throughout the night air. It was later reported that dozens of people were injured during late night skirmishes and Algerian fans demolished an Egypt Air office in Algiers by setting furniture on fire. From the safety of our friends' balcony, we listened to the chaos ensue down the road and yelled our congratulations to passersby.
The 2-0 win placed Egypt and Algeria neck and neck, and a rematch was scheduled on neutral territory, in Sudan, to settle the tie. On November 18, the day of the rematch, we waited to board our plane for Istanbul and ended up sharing a gate with a flight heading to Sudan. A sea of red engulfed the waiting area as loads of excited fans waited anxiously and chanted for their beloved home team. Several eager airport employees whispered rumors of a Sudan-bound man named, Ehab Tawfik—a famous Egyptian singer—who was on his way to the gate. Minutes later, we found ourselves posing for a picture with him, per his request. Famous Egyptian singer or four American girls... I guess fame is in the eye of the beholder. In the end, Algeria beat out Egypt in a 1-0 win and secured a spot in the highly coveted World Cup match in South Africa, summer 2010.
The famous Ehab Tawfik, and apparently equally famous four American girls. Although the picture is off-center, it's quite an accomplishment considering the previous attempts found the photographer holding the camera backwards. An up-close photo of his iris would not have been the same.
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Egyptian pride overflowed onto the highways in Cairo the day of the first World Cup qualifying match. Check out the video for a dose of team spirit:
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