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.
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