Philly fans may get a bit nuts, but they have nothing on the Egyptians and Algerians, whose match tomorrow could be the wildest of the week.
Egypt’s finest one-upped Eagles fans’ snowball assault on Santa Claus by stoning the Algerian team’s bus Thursday and bloodying three Algerian players.
If that wasn’t intimidating enough, the Algerians had to play Saturday’s World Cup qualifier before 74,000 fans in Cairo. Egypt needed a 2-0 win to force a playoff with Algeria on Wednesday, and they got it when Emad Moteab scored with one minute left in stoppage time. The stadium exploded. (No, not literally.)
Now, Algeria’s retaliating. On Sunday, they burned cars and stole cell phones from an Egyptian telecom firm’s office in Algeria. On Monday, they ransacked and torched an Egypt Air office in Algiers. Post-match fights and arson in Marseilles, of all places, sank two boats. This might be war. (Again.)
FIFA’s advance decision to play the match at a neutral site makes sense, until you realize where Sepp Blatter’s army of geniuses picked: Sudan, the home of genocide and all things good and happy. Naturally, Khartoum’s not that neutral: 1,002 miles from Cairo and full of Egyptian immigrants, compared to 2,323 miles from Algiers. (FIFA would never favor a bigger country. Really.)
Look to watch Wednesday’s death match online if you can. Take notes for how (not?) to behave at Philadelphia Union games.
Comments