Algeria and Egypt keep quiet to stop hostilities resurfacing

Published on Wednesday 27 January 2010 22:29

ALGERIA and Egypt retreated behind closed doors on the eve of their African Nations Cup semi-final in Benguela, seeking to avoid a revival of the hostility that marked their recent World Cup qualifying battle.

Both teams cancelled pre-match media activities and banned reporters from their final training sessions as they prepared for today's match.

"We want the players to concentrate solely on the work ahead of them," said Algeria football federation president Mohamed Raouraoua.

"We are physically and mentally ready and I hope we can go all the way to the final," added striker Hameur Bouazza.

Algeria and Egypt meet 70 days after a dramatic World Cup play-off match, which the Algerians won 1-0 to deny the African champions a place at this year's tournament in South Africa.

The game was played in a highly- charged atmosphere and post-match violence between opposing fans came close to creating a major diplomatic incident.

Fighting between Algerian players and Egyptian officials more than 20 years ago, after Egypt had edged out their north African rivals for a place at the 1990 World Cup finals, is at the root of the continuing animosity between the two countries.

Egyptian authorities unsuccessfully sought to prosecute Algeria's top midfielder Lakhdar Belloumi, who allegedly damaged the eye of an Egyptian official with a broken bottle, in a case that simmered for years afterwards.

When the countries were drawn in the same 2010 World Cup qualifying group, reconciliation attempts were made, including withdrawing an Interpol arrest warrant for Belloumi. But the feud boiled over again in November when the last game of the group came down to a straight contest for a place at the finals in South Africa. Algeria travelled to Cairo leading in the standings. Even a one-goal defeat would have seen them top the group, while a 2-0 loss would force a play-off and defeat by three goals or more would have seen Egypt through.

Algeria's team bus was stoned shortly after its arrival, with several players injured, but the visitors still played in a foul-ridden game that Egypt eventually won 2-0 with a late goal. It forced a play-off in neutral Sudan three days later, which Algeria won amid allegations Egyptian supporters were attacked. There were incidents of looting by crowds in Algiers at the premises of companies with Egyptian links.

In today's other semi-final, Ghana continue their bid for the country's first African Nations Cup title in 28 years when they face Nigeria.

The Black Stars have had to rely on some of their Under-20 world champions to get past the group stage and knock out the host nation Angola in the quarter-finals.

Nigeria are weary after needing a penalty shootout to see off Zambia in the last eight and then having to travel from Lubango to Luanda for the semi-final at the November 11 stadium.

"There will be a need to introduce fresh legs," said Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu. "Unlike Ghana we went through 120 minutes and penalties on Monday, spent the whole of Tuesday travelling from Lubango to Luanda and we just have to counter that."

Amodu, however, was confident his squad would be up to the task with a few adjustments. "Thanks to my rich bench, certain changes will be made. There are one or two injury concerns, I have to find a suitable replacement for Onyekachi Apam who was red-carded on Monday," he said. "We have to sharpen the attack and stabilise the midfield. These were our greatest areas of worry against Zambia."

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac said: "Though Nigeria did not play so well in the game against Zambia, it will be a big mistake to conclude that they will repeat the same performance in the next game against Ghana. We have to be cautious in the game and execute our strategy with the needed perfection."