Threats of violence in Cairo have overshadowed the final round of 2010 World Cup qualifiers in Africa this weekend, with three places in South Africa up for grabs.
Egypt host bitter rivals Algeria today in the potentially explosive highlight of a nine-match schedule, and already-qualified Ghana meet Mali in the sole fixture tomorrow.
A two-goal victory for Egypt would mean a playoff in Khartoum on Wednesday and the Pharaohs will qualify directly for South Africa if they triumph by a wider margin at home.
PHOTO: EPA
Tension ahead of this evening’s clash at the 73,000-seat Cairo Stadium has led FIFA and officials from both countries to call for fair play on the field and calm off it.
Those pleas fell on deaf ears when Algeria arrived in Cairo late on Thursday, with police officials confirming stones were thrown at the visitors’ bus as it sped from the airport to a hotel.
Egypt said no one was injured, but an Algerian member of parliament said five players were injured.
Two of the players, Khaled Lemmuchia and Rafiq Hallish, were struck on the head, said the member of parliament, who is part of the delegation.
The injured players were treated at the squad’s hotel, he told reporters, asking not to be named.
The incident, which happened as the Algerian squad was being taken from the airport to their hotel, immediately sparked a diplomatic war of words.
Algeria’s foreign minister said several players had been hurt and demanded security be tightened for today’s game.
In Algiers, foreign minister Mourad Medelci “strongly condemned” the attack, describing it as serious and demanding that his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit take all measures to guarantee the security of the delegation. Medelci said that “several” players had been hurt.
Algeria youth and sports minister Hachemi Djiar told Algerian radio that the “very regrettable incident” had been caused by a group of youths who had hidden behind roadside bushes before throwing stones at the bus.
The pre-match atmosphere in Egypt surged to feverish heights amid an unprecedented level of tension between the North African rivals.
Internet and media “wars” have been raging for weeks between the rivals and Algeria want extra security for the Desert Foxes players and officials after the bus incident.
The Pharaohs were firm favorites to finish first and compete at the World Cup for the first time since 1990, but a home draw with Zambia followed by a loss in Algeria placed them under pressure.
A recovery brought home and away wins over Rwanda and a fortunate victory in Zambia, but Algeria won four consecutive games following a Kigali draw to take a three-point advantage.
“Algeria have the advantage. The team has been strong throughout the qualifiers and need to prove ourselves one more time. It is up to Egypt to make the running,” captain and midfielder Yazid Mansouri said. “We can leave a mark on the history of our country and playing in Cairo is going to be the match of our lives. I will tell my teammates how proud I am to lead them and then we must get a result that takes us to South Africa.”
Cameroon have a one-point lead in their group and can reach the World Cup a record sixth time for an African country either by winning in Morocco or matching the result of second-placed surprise packets Gabon in Togo.
Seeking a fourth consecutive trip to the World Cup, Tunisia hold a two-point advantage over Nigeria, who are facing the grim prospect of missing the tournament again after Angola pipped them four years ago.
Both teams finish with away assignments and while Mozambique promise stiff opposition to Tunisia, Kenya have been hit by coaching chaos and injuries as they prepare to tackle Nigeria.
Rwanda tackle Zambia, Sudan meet Benin, Didier Drogba-less Ivory Coast face Guinea and Burkina Faso confront Malawi in today’s other fixtures.
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