Tweet me!| In several cities in the US, fans left their jobs for couple of hours to gather in cafés and retaurants airing the soccer game on either Canal Algeria or El Massria. Algerians wore the National Team's outfits, waved Algerian Flags, scarfs, and sang the famous trilingual line "One, Two, Three Viva L'Algérie..." DJs played Soccer Fans music coming right from Algeria. |
Party is the weakest word one could use to describe the the celebration of Algerian soccer fans after its 1-0 victory Wednesday over Egypt in a playoff match that takes it to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa for the first time in more than 20 years.
Families, grandmas, women and children joined men in the streets to celebrate a famous victory over its bitter rival.
Security was stepped up preceding the match near the Egyptian Embassy in the capital, Algiers, but there were no signs of violence reported. The streets of Algiers quickly filled with celebrating fans, some setting off fireworks. Traffic came to a standstill in the center of town.
Hundred-thousands people waving the Algerian flag invaded the capital city's streets singing soccer songs and cheering their team.
In several cities in the US, fans left their jobs for couple of hours to gather in cafés and retaurants airing the soccer game on either Canal Algeria or El Massria. Algerians wore the National Team's outfits, waved Algerian Flags, scarfs, and sang the famous trilingual line "One, Two, Three Viva L'Algérie..." DJs played Soccer Fans music coming right from Algeria.
The jubilant atmosphere crossed the Mediterranean as Algerians in Marseille and Paris, where there are large Algerian populations. Youths hanging from cars, honking horns and brandishing the Algerian flag made victory laps down Paris' Champs-Elysees.
Violence erupted following Algeria's 2-0 loss to Egypt over the weekend that forced the playoff match in Khartoum, Sudan. The embassy and high profile Egyptian businesses were attacked.
Several Algerian players had been injured before the match in Cairo as Egypt fans pelted Algeria's team bus with rocks.
The match in Sudan was the first of six decisive qualifiers today that will complete the field of 32 for the June 11-July 11 World Cup, the first to be played on the African continent.
Algerianamericans.com - November. 18, 2009
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