Frenzied, chanting crowds greeted Algeria and Egypt’s soccer teams as they arrived in Sudan on Sunday to battle for Africa’s last qualifying place in the 2010 World Cup finals.
After a last minute equalizer from Egypt on Saturday night, the teams will play a decider tomorrow in Khartoum for the chance to play in South Africa next year.
Saturday’s last-gasp goal in Cairo left the nations tied on points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head record and requiring a single playoff match.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Sudan was chosen as the neutral venue for the match after FIFA made a draw on Wednesday with Egypt’s choice of neighboring Sudan being selected instead of Algeria’s preferred choice Tunisia.
Thousands of Egyptian laborers working in Sudan will help fill the stadium while Algerian flags began to appear on Sudanese cars throughout the capital.
“The greens all the way!” said Sudanese Khidr Osman, who was carrying an Algerian flag. He was joined by dozens of young Sudanese.
Egypt has a long and mixed history with Sudan of colonial rule as well as friendship but soccer remains a shared passion.
“When Sudan was playing Chad in Egypt, they weren’t supporting us,” Osman said.
“I’m with the Egyptians because they chose us to host this,” said businessman Mohamed Amin.
Meanwhile, thousands of supporters held a rally on Sunday in Algiers in support of their national team, which degenerated into attacks on Egyptian businesses.
The rally in began with fans chanting “One, two, three, Go Algeria!” as they thronged Air Algeria offices trying to get tickets to travel to Sudan for the match in Khartoum.
But it later descended into violence when fans broke through the metal shutters to smash the window and ransack the offices of Egypt Air, a journalist said.
The offices of mobile telephone company Djeezy, part of the Egyptian telecommunications group Orascom, was also ransacked, the Web site of the El Watan daily reported.
Twenty Algerians were injured in clashes in and around Cairo after Saturday’s match, Egyptian police said.
Egyptian and Algerian fans have a long history of violence.
■GHANA WIN IN ACCRA
AP, ACCRA
Matthew Amoah and Anthony Annan scored a goal each as Ghana twice rallied from a goal down to draw 2-2 with Mali in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday in Accra.
Ghana had already sealed its place at next year’s World Cup in South Africa after winning its opening four group games, but still fielded a full strength team.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to