Egypt vs. Algeria Soccer

Last week there was a huge soccer match played here in Cairo, it was the World Cup qualifying game of Egypt vs. Algeria.  It was all you would hear people talk about all week, and people started selling Egyptian flags and Egypt Cat in the Hat hats among other merchandise. People were flying the Egyptian flag from their balconies and their cars.  Little children were running around the streets with little flags.  It was was the first time I've seen Egyptians really proud of their country.

When the Algerians arrived in Cairo they were greeted by a mob of Egyptians stoning them.  What hospitality!  Then the Egypt media it turned into a big scandal and everyone claimed the Algerians were making it up even though there is video proof of the incident on BBC News. 

We had received an e-mail alert from the American Ambassador warning us not to go out, especially in Cairo.  If Egypt looses there are sure to be riots, and if Egypt wins there are sure to be riots.  So either way, a good time will be had by all.

Egypt had to win the game 3-0 in order to qualify for the World Cup.  If they got 2-0 then they would have to play another tie-off qualifying match, and if they won by only one point than Algeria would win.  They just proved, that you don't have to be drunk, to be a soccer hooligan having a "drunken brawl".

It seemed like everyone in the country was watching the match that night.  Coffee shops (the closest thing to a sports bar) were packed to the brim and extra chairs were spilling out onto the streets everywhere.  Seth and I watched a movie on our computer but had our TV tuned to the correct channel but muted.  We didn’t need the sound because we could hear it from the entire neighborhood.  Within the first two minutes Egypt scored a goal.  The entire country went wild and we clearly hear everyone shouting for joy, and see the family in the apartment across the street from our window jumping for joy and celebrating together with the women “trilling”.   Seth and I looked up and caught the slow action re-play on our TV.  The rest of the game was rather uneventful, except for some dirty playing by the Egypt play.  Even though we were alone up in our apartment, you could almost feel the nervous energy in the air as the country watched the clock tick down the remaining three minutes and Egypt was only ahead by one.   And then miraculously Egypt scored a second goal!  Cars were honking, glass was breaking, donkeys were baying, women were trilling, shepherds were dancing with their sheep; the country was united together in one big celebration. 

It didn’t really sink in till the next morning when the celebrations subsisted that a score of 2-0 meant they still had to play Algeria again.  This time on Wednesday in Sudan, they had to win the second game by one point in order to go to the World Cup.  The atmosphere was much the same as the first time, although we could actually hear the country as a whole take a collective breath and hold it anytime Algeria was near our goal.  Unfortunately,  Egypt lost 1-0 and Algeria is going to the World Cup.