Egypt withdraws its ambassador after bitter loss to Algeria

Published on Thursday 19 November 2009 21:55

BY COMPARISON with Egypt and Algeria, Ireland's World Cup-fuelled anger with France is lower league stuff.

Last night, Egypt announced it was withdrawing its ambassador from its north African rival's capital, following defeat by Algeria on Wednesday in a qualifying match that had to be held in Sudan for the sake of safety.

Algeria, featuring Rangers' Madjid Bougherra, advanced to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 after their 1-0 victory. They had finished all square in the qualifying group after Egypt beat Algeria 2-0 in Cairo on Saturday. Ahead of that game, Egyptian fans pelted a bus carrying Algerian players soon after their arrival in Cairo. Three were injured and two played with head bandages.

An official Egyptian statement yesterday said the summoning to the foreign ministry of the Algerian ambassador, Abdul-Qader Hajar, was ordered by president Hosni Mubarak himself.

Egyptian media reports said several buses carrying Egypt fans to the airport in Khartoum on Wednesday were pelted with rocks, allegedly by Algerians, and that several of them were slightly hurt.

It was sweet revenge for the Algerians. Egypt qualified for the 1990 World Cup at their expense, beating them in a decider played in Cairo in 1989.

Egypt, a record six-time African champion, last appeared on the game's biggest stage in 1990.

"Algeria qualified and the dream is lost," bemoaned the red banner of the daily Al-Gomhuria. "The World Cup dream turned into ruins," said the independent Al-Masry Al-Youm daily.